


Firelight

by OCQueen96



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, OC, TeenTitans, TeenTitansFanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-06-15 11:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 153,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15411993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OCQueen96/pseuds/OCQueen96
Summary: After losing her family, her planet, and her entire race of people in a war against Tamaran, Damiana is forced to survive alone on Planet Earth. After losing everything, she doesn't need anyone and she trusts nobody. However, when a dangerous criminal threatens the entire hero world, Damiana gets involved with the Titans East. Will her views hold true as she fights alongside them?





	1. Part I: Inception: Chapter One

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, but I do own the planet Dabnod, as well as the Dabnodian people._

* * *

  **Part I: Inception: Chapter One**

_The Planet Dabnod_

Today is the most beautiful day that Damiana has seen in a long time. The sky is a mixture of blue violet and peachy orange with the occasional streak of soft rose mingling among the two other colors. The whole time the eleven-year-old sits with her pale legs dangling into the refreshing water of a small pond, her simple blue dress pulled up to her knees so she doesn't get the hem of it wet. After all the work her mother put into sewing this dress the last thing she wants is to ruin it. Then again, considering the purple stains coating the skirt due to hours spent frolicking through violet grasses and the singe marks resulting from the time spent practicing with her fire, the dress is already ruined. She couldn't help wearing it as much as she could over these past several months, though. This has been the most beautiful garment she has ever owned. The last thing she wanted to do was wear it only once.

Humming sweetly to herself, Damiana takes a handful of yellow, red, and orange flowers and braids them into her hair. The girl's small fingers work carefully as they twist each small plant into her thick blue tresses. Damiana smiles at the fact that her hair is currently blue. Part of the reason she braids flowers into her hair is so that she can watch it shift from royal blue, to light blue, to dazzling aquamarine like waves on an ocean from Earth. It isn't too often that her hair turns this color. Usually it is rose red or dazzling orange; seeing this kind of vast change is nice for once. The whole time she wonders if her eyes have changed color as well from their normally stable shade of soft pink.

Meanwhile the girl picks up another red flower and weaves it into her blue locks, continuing to hum as she does so. Technically Damiana is supposed to be inside of her family's stone cabin at the top of the hill doing her afternoon chores. With her mother working at the Palace as the Queen's personal maid and with her older brother, Saeran, in training as a squire, household work is usually left up to her. However, once she's done with her chores, Damiana curls up against the white trunk of a violet-leafed tree and spends the whole evening reading. She reads literature and fairy tales in every language from every planet she can.

She has read stories of loyal Kings and faithful Queens that lived on Dabnod millennia ago; the books being written in the ancient text. She has read stories of dragons and wizards from Azarath in languages that the majority of the Palace scribes can't even understand. Damiana has read countless books of fairy tales from Earth, those being written in tongues such as English, Spanish, German, and Chinese. By the way she remembers there were a few in other languages, but she isn't entirely sure. Once the girl was even able to get a hold of a book about an ancient warrior from Tamaran. The Tamaranean novel was a hard find with the current disagreement between their planets, but it was a lovely read nonetheless. Good thing she finished the book before Saeran got his hands on it and ripped it to shreds…

Sighing at the memory, Damiana drops the flower that was currently in her hand and looks down into the pond in a depressed manner. Her hair begins shifting from blue to and odd type of sickly green, but she doesn't even notice. All she does is gaze down at the water in an unbreakable trance as if it somehow holds all the answers.

 _"I don't get it,"_  says Damiana to herself.  _"Mama and Saeran told me that the war would be over within a few months. Why has it been dragging on for so long?"_

Her sorrow growing deeper, Damiana lays back into the tall purple grasses as her mind goes to places that she rarely lets it visit. The young girl can remember the day it happened. She can remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. Unfortunately for the planet of Dabnod, it wasn't yesterday. It wasn't a few short months ago, either. As of today, it happened two-and-a-half years ago.

**_*Flashback*_ **

It was early in the morning. Mama hadn't yet left for her job at the Palace and Saeran wasn't yet so dedicated to his training to become a knight. Instead mama was inside the tiny kitchen of their small three room cabin making them breakfast. While they waited Damiana and a much happier Saeran, thirteen at the time, were outside by the pond picking flowers. One bunch was for their mother and another was for her to give to the Queen in gratitude for their mama's employment. They still had a while until she had to leave for the Palace and they wanted to make sure that they picked the most beautiful flowers they could find.

Damiana was a few feet away from Saeran, her sights set on an exceptionally pretty flower of red and gold. Being only eight years old at the time, she can remember how the grasses came up to her waist and how she had to shove through them in order to reach that single plant. Meanwhile, she called to her brother who was only a few feet behind her.

"Saeran!" she'd shouted happily. "Look at that one, Saeran! Queen Guayusa will love it!"

Her brother's shoulder-length ponytail was a shade of vibrant yellow, his eyes amber to match. The sight made Damiana joyful, knowing that her brother only looked like that when he was at his happiest. He pushed his way toward her through the violet grasses with his green tunic catching slightly, smiling the whole way.

"That's perfect, Damiana! You managed to find one in her favorite colors, too! Once she sees it she'll have to know how thoroughly we searched to find it!"

"Exactly!" Damiana replied. "That's why I'm so excited!"

Once that was said the two siblings took off full speed in the lovely flower's direction, determined to get the beautiful blossom for the one and only Queen Guayusa. Unfortunately, before they could reach it, the most unexpected thing imaginable happened. The sky, which was previously the morning colors of green and silver, lit up horrific shades of black and burnt orange. It didn't come in one solid color, but in cloud-like bursts. With each and every burst came loud thundering explosions. The sight was one so foreign to Damiana that all she could do was gawk at the sky in confusion. Saeran, on the other hand, knew exactly what it meant. She could tell because of the complete and absolute horror that consumed his voice.

"Damiana, forget the flowers. We need to get mama and take shelter somewhere."

Not just confused now, but also scared, Damiana turned to face him. When she saw that his hair turned pure black and his eyes charcoal gray in no more than three seconds, her fear turned from slight to extreme.

"Saeran, what's happening?" she'd asked him.

The moment the question was out he'd grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her up the hill. They moved as fast as their legs would carry them. A few minutes later he replied.

"Something _very_ bad. They've been warning us about this for months at the Palace."

"Warning you about what?" she'd asked in puzzlement. "What's going on?"

Before he could answer, a particularly loud explosion occurred. It was so thunderous that it shook the ground. Releasing a frightened yell, Damiana turned her face away from her elder sibling and looked at the sky. The whole time Saeran never relinquished his grip on her as they continued running. Upon seeing what was above them Damiana was certain that one of her hearts would fail her. Scattered across the black and orange expanse were the enormous battleships of the Queen of Dabnod. In between the ships were what Damiana at the time referred to as terrifying monsters; muscled flying people with orange-tinted skin and glowing green eyes. Many of them held sharpened weapons and were shooting green bolts out from their fingertips. Each and every one of them looked absolutely horrific. Even so, Damiana still recognized their species.

"Saeran, there are Tamaraneans everywhere! Why are there so many of them of them?! What are they doing here?!"

He replied to her sounding incredibly fearful. "We made an alliance with the Gordanians and now Tamaran is attacking Dabnod! I need to get you somewhere safe!"

Finally understanding how dire the situation was, Damiana tripled in speed as she ran up the hill. The whole time the explosions kept amplifying in volume and ferocity. Tamaranean battle cries filled the air along with sounds of starbolt fire. Not even ten seconds later the earsplitting creaking of crashing metal started filling the air around them. Several seconds later a thunderous bang would sound off and the ground would shake, telling Damiana's eight-year-old self that several of their ships were being brought down. By this time all she wanted to do was hide somewhere; anywhere.

By the time they got to the cabin the battle was in full scale. Every Dabnodian warrior in existence had taken to battleships and was in the air fighting. Those that didn't have ships were fighting from the ground using their elements. Some were shooting flames up at Tamaraneans while others were bringing them down with gigantic whips crafted from water. Then there were those who were floating on boulders and others using the gift of air to take to the skies with the invaders, doing everything they could to stop them. Ships were crashing, people were falling, and painful wails echoed through her ears. As a backdrop, the sky grew increasingly dark due to larger explosions and the buildup of smoke. There were even little fires started on the ground due to excessive use of elements and crashing battleship parts.

"Damiana! Saeran!"

The girl whipped around at the sound of her mother's voice. The moment she looked at the woman her heart froze with dread. Her mother whose long beautiful hair was usually rosy red and her eyes a lovely shade of emerald green had deep black hair and charcoal gray eyes just like Saeran. Thought Damiana didn't bother trying to look at herself, she was positively certain that her features looked the same. Relieved by the sight of her mother standing in their cabin's doorway, Damiana grabbed her brother's arm and tried to drag them both toward her.

"Saeran, let's get inside!" she exclaimed. "We need to go in the house where it's safe!"

Saeran did go with her, but not in the way she expected. Instead of following her and mama inside the cabin and closing the door behind them, he shoved her and their mother in the house alone. The whole time he never followed them. He simply reached around the corner and started grabbing at a set of pegs. On the pegs were two massive canteens filled to the brim with water; canteens that Saeran always keeps there in case of emergencies. Taking hold of them, he threw them over his body in a hasty fashion so that they were crossing over his chest. Meanwhile he spoke to them with a firm, commanding, tone.

"Mama, Damiana, bolt the doors shut and go down to the cellar. Once you're there, don't come out until you are  _absolutely sure_  it's safe. I'm sorry, but I can't go with you. The other warriors need me."

Damiana felt her eyes go wide at his statement. "Saeran, what are you doing?! You can't go fight the Tamaraneans! It isn't safe!"

She didn't know why and she probably never will, but in that instant Saeran's eyes turned from charcoal gray to a shade of pale blue. Kneeling down beside her, he put a hand on each shoulder and gave her a tender smile. It was a smile that only Saeran understands and that only Saeran can give.

"Going into battle is never something that's safe. In the end, safe doesn't matter. What matters is doing everything I can to protect my home."

With that he wrapped Damiana into a tight hug. Once it ended he stood up and gave the same hug to their mother. Damiana will never forget the tears mama had in her eyes as she returned her son's embrace. Then, before either of them could protest, Saeran tightened the straps of his canteens and ran off. Damiana didn't even go inside as he had instructed. All she could do is stand in the doorway and watch him run into the heat of the battle with salty liquid starting to emerge from her tear ducts. Even as mama fought to get her in the house, Damiana didn't want to move. All she wanted to do was run out there and bring Saeran inside where he wouldn't get hurt. As she watched, the girl shouted to the top of her lungs.

"Saeran, come back! Please don't go out there, Saeran!  **Saeran**!"

Eventually her mother had to pick her up and forcibly drag her inside the house. Even so, mama wasn't in any better shape than Damiana. As she bolted the door shut she too had tears in her eyes. The explosions outside kept growing louder and more volatile, forcing the two females to flee to the cellar. Once they were down there amongst crates and boxes they didn't feel any safer. All Damiana and mama did was sit there curled up in each other's arms, praying that Saeran would make it back to them safely once this horrific battle with the Tamaraneans came to an end. As they prayed all they could hear were the explosions growing louder and screams of various falling warriors. The horror didn't end for six straight hours.

**_*End Flashback*_ **

At some point during the memory Damiana broke her gaze with the pond and laid down in the grass. Now she stares at the sky blankly, remembering how relieved she and mama had been when Saeran came out of the battle completely unscathed. Much of Dabnod was ravaged, many buildings needed repairs, and horror swept over the planet after finding out that this was only the first of many battles with Tamaran, but still they were relieved. Saeran was safe, he wasn't hurt, and that's all that mattered. Somehow he hasn't had to go into battle since that fateful day either. Though, he has spent most of his time training and perfecting using his gift for water since then.

Sighing, Damiana folds her arms up under her head. Of course, even though the planet seems safe right now, one thing has become clear to her and to all of Dabnod. No matter how much reading or work she does to try and forget about it, this lone fact is always at the back of her mind nagging her.

The war with Tamaran isn't over; the Tamaraneans are fierce. This war won't be over until Dabnod invades Tamaran or until the Tamaraneans comes back for one last attack.

* * *

Later

It's the middle of the night, but Damiana isn't asleep. She should have crawled under the covers and nodded off hours ago, but it never happened. Instead she sits in the middle of the bed cross-legged with a large book open in her lap. It is an Earth book written in the English language filled with many different children's stories. Damiana has been up all night reading in fascination.

One tale was about a girl who was a servant to her step mother and two horrible step sisters. While the story made her upset at first, Damiana was happy when the girl married the Prince at the end because he found the slipper she'd lost. Then there was another story about a Princess that pricked her finger on a spinning wheel who could only be woken up by a kiss. That story was also quite enjoyable, as was another tale she read about a girl who lived trapped in a tower with long flowing hair.

Right now Damiana is currently on the fourth story. It is one about a Princess who is being hunted by an evil Queen who is also her stepmother, and is forced to live in a cabin with seven tiny men. It is getting to the most exciting part of the plot, the evil Queen wearing a disguise as she gets ready to make a murder attempt on her stepdaughter. The Queen is dressed as an old woman and is approaching the girl with some kind of poisonous fruit she'd concocted. So stooped is Damiana in the tale that she nearly misses the sound of firm knocking on her bedroom door. Lucky for her it is only  _almost_.

The eleven-year-old leaps off of her bed and the Earth book hits the ground with a thud, the girl nearly being scared out of her wits by the frantic banging. With her mind still on the story, she finds herself afraid that it could be the evil Queen come to kill her with poisoned fruit. However, when she hears the frightened voice of her older brother, Damiana's mind is brought back to reality.

"Damiana, it's Saeran. I know you're awake in there, so hurry up and get dressed. We need to leave for the Palace.  _Now._ "

The fear in Saeran's voice causes the girl to grow anxious. Even so, she doesn't go over to the door and open it. Rather she squats down to recover her book as she shouts to him in response. The whole time she's looking in the door's direction wide-eyed.

"Saeran, what's going on? Please tell me that this is some sort of drill…"

She hears as the sixteen-year-old gives a weighted sigh from the door's other side. "Are you clothed?" he asks a second later.

Arching her brow, Damiana looks down at herself. The moment she does so she realizes that she never even changed into her pajamas. She still wears blue daytime dress, purple grass stains and all. Rather than going in-depth with the explanation, the answer she gives is plain.

"Yes. You can come in."

He opens the door without a word. Once he steps inside of her tiny room she sees as his hair gleams black and his eyes gray in the soft light of her reading lamp. For a moment his hair gets a streak of Earth forest green and his eyes go emerald as he looks around his baby sister's room, shocked to see her bed still made and to see her in the same dress as yesterday. However, the streaks of color quickly fade back to black and gray once he sets eyes on her face. As Saeran looks at her, Damiana looks right back at him.

Her elder sibling has gotten so tall and so muscular over the years. Even when he's in his everyday clothes Damiana has begun to notice that he's starting to look more and more like one of Queen Guayusa's knights. With the way he's dressed right now, his knight-like features are accentuated even further. Saeran doesn't wear pajamas neither does he wear his everyday clothes. Instead he is dressed in his full green tunic and silver armor with the Dabnodian crest etched into his breastplate. Not only that, but he wields a sword along with two over-sized canteens strapped across his chest. The sight instantly makes Damiana uneasy, as she has only seen Saeran dressed in his full armor a handful of times; each time was a situation of crisis.

In a full-length mirror off to the side of the room, Damiana sees as her own features start turning black and gray. She doesn't know what color they were before. All she knows is that now they're the colors representing dread and horror.

"You're wearing your armor," she states simply. "This isn't a drill, is it?"

Saeran doesn't respond verbally. He walks over to his sister and places a gentle hand on her shoulder. Meanwhile he gestures to the window behind her with a frown. Neither of them speaks once he does this. Instead they turn off Damiana's reading lamp and open the black shade that was blocking the window off. Once the outside world is in view one of Damiana's hearts sinks in a mixture of horror, anxiety, and sorrow. Outside covering the remote horizon are black and burnt orange cloud-like bursts like she'd seen two-and-a-half years ago. Although it's barely audible, she also hears echoing  ** _booms_**  way off in the distance. Also on the horizon are large dots in the shapes of ships. Even from this distance, due to their odd sizes and shapes, Damiana can tell that they aren't Dabnodian ships.

"It's more visible from my window," says Saeran at last. "The Tamaraneans are back, and this time they brought friends."

Her face paling and eyes nearly turning black, Damiana asks a much needed question. "How many friends?"

"I'm not sure, but I want you and mama in the confines of the Palace by the time I find out. Queen Guayusa's Palace is the most secure stronghold on Dabnod. You will be much safer there than in the cellar."

Damiana turns away from the window in order to face Saeran. She feels fear running heavily through her veins and her stomach is starting to turn, but still she manages a nod.

"Okay, Saeran," she replies. "Just let me change my dress while you wake up mama. I'll be right out."

Her older brother gives a solemn nod in response. "Make it quick. We don't have any time to waste."

That being said, Saeran exits the room and shuts the door behind him. The moment he's gone she does as he's asked, changing her clothes as quickly as she can. Once the girl is changed she is ready to run from the room to their cabin's entrance where mama and Saeran will most likely be waiting for her. However, before she has a chance leave her bedroom, the bookshelf next to her bed catches her eye. For some reason Damiana doesn't continue toward the door right away once the shelf is in sight. Instead she sprints over to it and grabs three books before fleeing the room.

Oddly enough, the books she grabs aren't from Earth, Azarath, or from any other planet. The books are native to Dabnod and are written in the beautiful script of the Dabnodian language. Damiana decided to take them for safe keeping, just in case she never has another chance to hold something from her home this close to her.

* * *

Though she hasn't been to the Palace as often as mama and Saeran, Damiana has still walked these drafty hallways quite a lot in her young life. She has probably been inside the Palace more than the majority of people on Dabnod. When she's here everything normally appears sparkling and regal. There are always knights-in-training battling in the courtyard, scribes scurrying up and down corridors carrying stacks of books, courtiers roaming around with their attendants. Sometimes Damiana has even had the pleasure of encountering Queen Guayusa. Really, right now happens to be one of those times when the Queen is present. However, the Palace doesn't appear regal at this moment. Not in the least.

The enormous courtyard along with all of the surrounding balconies are full to bursting. The knights, scribes, and courtiers are still here, but mostly the area is filled with average Dabnodian civilians. Usually when Dabnodians are gathered together there is an endless sea of hair various shades of oranges, yellows, and reds, mostly due to some sort of celebration. Of course, right now this isn't the case. As Damiana peeks over the edge of the balcony from behind the people in front of her, she sees various shades of black and dark gray. Even the elderly who's hair doesn't tend to color as brightly as it used to, has hair that turns deep black. Heart sinking at the sight, Damiana switches her gaze to her brother who stands with protective hands on hers and their mother's shoulders.

"This invasion is worse than the others, isn't it Saeran?" the girl inquires knowingly. "I've never seen this many people look so worried before."

Saeran gives a deep sigh at his little sister's question. "I'm not going to lie to you, Damiana. The situation we're in is dire, but we won't know how to handle it until Queen Guayusa explains."

Damiana nibbles her lower lip fitfully before giving a single nod. As she does so an echoing explosion is heard off in the distance followed by several more explosions afterward. Then the deafening sound of crashing metal sounds off. This only serves to cause the crowds in the balconies and courtyards to mutter in panic.

"This is bad," says a man somewhere behind her. "We should have made plans to invade Tamaran months ago. Then maybe this wouldn't be happening!"

"Invade Tamaran? Heck, we shouldn't have made an alliance with the Gordanians in the first place! If we hadn't teamed up with their enemies, then Tamaran would still be leaving Dabnod alone!"

A third person adds in, "A Gordanian alliance? Seriously? What was Queen Guayusa thinking?! Does that woman have any idea what the heck she's doing?!"

For a moment Damiana thinks that the enormous room is going to stay like this forever. A mess of terror, blame, and bone-chilling panic all coming out in apprehensive muttering. It is only a few seconds later that these thoughts are proven incorrect. Queen Guayusa, who had been off in one of the room's remote corners speaking with her advisers and the General, finally steps up onto a large stone platform. Like every other time Damiana has seen her, the Queen looks tall, regal, and elegant. Only, much like Saeran, the Dabnodian leader looks very different as well.

When Damiana has seen her in the past the Queen has always been dressed in long, silky, gowns that are sleeveless and form-fitting. According to what mama told her, they are long and silky to accentuate her beauty but also sleeveless and form-fitting to show off her strong Dabnodian build. After Damiana learned that she wanted a dress exactly like it so that she might look like the Queen; thus, the reason the girl had been so attached to her stained blue dress. Now, however, Queen Guayusa isn't adorned by a gown at all. Instead she is dressed from head-to-toe in silver and green armor with the Dabnodian crest etched into the breastplate. Not only that, but for the first time in ages she doesn't wear her crown.

The only other difference besides these things would be her hair and eyes. Normally Queen Guayusa has hair that is orange with streaks of gold and has bright golden eyes. Right now her long curly hair is black with streaks of extremely dark purple, and her eyes are the shade of pure soot. Based on this it is obvious to Damiana that she is just as terrified as the rest of them. Only, because of the streaks of purple, she is even more so. Yet she still somehow manages to stand tall, her posture as elegant and powerful as ever. What Damiana wouldn't give to look so marvelous and in control in a time of such crisis. When she speaks, Queen Guayusa's voice doesn't give off the slightest hint of fear.

"My fellow Dabnodians," she says to the top of her voice, "we are experiencing a dire time of crisis. Outside these Palace walls is an invasion force larger than Dabnod has seen in centuries. Tonight's battle is not at all like the mere skirmishes we have experienced over the past couple years; it isn't about showing Tamaran our power or bringing honor to Dabnod. No. This battle is a fight for the very existence of the Dabnodian people. Tonight will determine the outcome of this war. Tonight we could win this war and rebuild an even stronger civilization out of the previous Dabnod's ashes. Or we could lose this war and our entire planet."

It is here that Guayusa pauses. For a moment Damiana is expecting people in the crowd to get angry and to shout at their beloved Queen. However, to the eleven-year-old's astonishment, no shouting happens. Instead everyone stands as still as statues, the air heavy with foreboding. Even their strong ruler appears downtrodden. It takes a moment or two, but at last Guayusa continues.

"I myself don't like to think about losing Dabnod, so I know that nobody else likes to think about it. Dabnod is the place we call home. It's the home of our ancestors and of our proud history. Even so, the worst case scenario still stands. Tamaran isn't invading merely to frighten us. They are here to wipe Dabnod out of existence and to exterminate every last person on the planet. It is because of this that I want to take measures starting now."

After another moment of hesitation Queen Guayusa continues. When she does, she gives a command. It's the very command Damiana knows that Saeran has been waiting for. She can tell just by the change in his stance that her older brother is ready to jump into action.

Sighing, she says, "To every one of my knights, squires, and pages, you know the procedure. It is time to start the evacuation."

* * *

Damiana has never felt both of her hearts beat so fast at once. Neither has she ever had to run this quickly. To her's and every other Dabnodian's disappointment, Queen Guayusa hadn't been exaggerating in the slightest. No more than ten minutes after her speech the explosions started coming closer, as did the ships of the foreign invaders. Whoever Tamaran has paired up with is very strong, because all it took was an instant for them to knock down the Palace's strong walls. With that, Tamaraneans started pouring inside the Palace alongside strange beings the colors of green and blue. Under other circumstances Damiana would have taken the time to observe them more closely, but this time she didn't. Instead she ran with all of her might. In fact, she still does.

The small eleven-year-old sprints down stairs and through hallways, the sounds of screams and starbolt fire coming from the floors above. The rumbling of earth, whooshing of air, thundering of splashes, and burning of fire comes as well, letting Damiana know that people are using their elements to the best of their abilities. Suddenly numerous terrified shrieks sound off. A few seconds later the shrieks are followed by a crash so thunderous that it causes the ground to shake. Horrified that she won't keep her footing, Damiana holds tightly to the railing of the staircase. The bottom of the stairs is a long way down and the last thing she wants is to fall. Meanwhile, Saeran shouts from behind her.

"Damiana, keep moving! We're almost there!"

Opening her mouth, she prepares to respond. However, before she can, a Tamaranean man with glowing green eyes and frighteningly large muscles appears a few steps below them. Yelling Tamaranean words in a gruff war cry, words that Damiana translates as  _"Your kind will die"_ , he flies up the stairs and begins throwing starbolts. The girl can sense Saeran getting ready to spear the foreign invader with an icy spike. Of course, he never gets the chance. Before the Tamaranean man has a chance to blink, let alone strike her, Damiana conjures a large wall made out of fire. Her eyes the color of burning embers and long hair lighting up like flames, she shoves the wall in the purple-clad alien's direction. The moment it touches him he disintegrates on contact without as much as a plea for mercy.

Extinguishing the flaming wall, Damiana turns to face Saeran whose eyes and hair are green with surprise. "D-Damiana…" he stutters.

"There's no time to explain, Saeran," says the girl. "We have to get out of here and find mama before we run into another one!"

Damiana begins sprinting down the stairs once more. However, before she can get too far, Saeran stops her. When he speaks, his words are more painful than any starbolt would have been.

"No, Damiana! There isn't time to go back for mama! We have to get you evacuated right now!"

Stopping in her tracks, the girl turns around once more. "What?! You can't evacuate me! Not without mama and not without you!"

Running a hand through his black hair, the teen sighs. "Damiana, I'm one of the Queen's squires. I'm not allowed to leave. I have to help people evacuate and then I have to stay behind and fight. As for mama, she made only a single request before we left the house and I intend to honor it."

Eyes widening fearfully, she asks, "What kind of request did mama make?"

Stepping forward, Saeran grabs his sister by the wrist and begins pulling her down the stairs in a forced sprint. While doing so, he replies. "Mama told me, no matter what, to keep you safe. She said that if we got separated not to look for her. The only thing that matters to mama is getting you on one of the space pods and off of Dabnod."

"What?! But I can't leave Dabnod! Not without you and mama!" Damiana protests loudly. "Even then I still wouldn't want to leave Dabnod for another planet! I want to stay here!"

Saeran doesn't slow his pace in the slightest. Rather, he quickens his sprint to twice its original speed. Coming to the bottom of the staircase, the sixteen-year-old makes a sharp turn down a deserted hallway and continues running. The whole time he shouts at his sister.

"Damiana, you can't stay here! If you stay you could get destroyed with the rest of the planet!"

Welling up with tears, Damiana looks at her brother. "You don't get it, Saeran. I don't care if I get destroyed! I can't leave Dabnod and I can't leave you and mama. You're my family and Dabnod's my home. I'd rather be destroyed with Dabnod than live on another planet without you."

Inhaling sharply, Saeran turns down yet another hallway and, at last, into a small room. Upon entering the room both of Damiana's hearts sink. Lining three out of the four walls are small doors crafted from sturdy metal. The moment she sees them she knows exactly what they lead to; they lead to single passenger space pods. The lights above most of them are red rather than green, letting Damiana and Saeran both know that most of them have already been taken. When Saeran tightens his grip on her wrist and drags her toward a door with a green light her hearts sink further.

"Saeran!" Damiana shouts loudly. "Saeran, what are you doing?! Don't put me in there! Please!"

The boy doesn't listen. Rather, he uses his free hand to punch in a code on the keypad and then to shove open the door. Based on the dour look on his face, it's obvious to Damiana that she and her older brother are about to part ways. Before shoving her in, however, he says one final thing. Gazing down at the eleven-year-old, Saeran's eyes and hair shift to blue streaked with black.

"Damiana, I'm sorry, but I have to do this. I don't think that Dabnod is going to make it. If I let you stay here knowing that everything will be destroyed, I could never forgive myself."

With that being said, Saeran scoops Damiana up and shoves her into the small vessel. Damiana would like to protest; she would like to get out of this pod and help fight the Tamaraneans; she would like to find mama. Yet, she doesn't. Instead, all she does is watch helplessly as Saeran closes the door behind her. Saeran looks at her through the ship's small window, eyes an odd mixture between the colors blue and dark gray. The color alone completely unnerves Damiana, never having seen it on Saeran before. The only thing that unnerves her further is how his eyes well up with tears as he pulls a small black lever and pushes a red button. Knowing what's about to happen, Damiana screams.

"No! Saeran, don't! Please don't do this to me, Saeran!  **Saeran**!"

The girl bangs on the window as hard as she can, but it's no use. Three seconds pass and beeping sounds off from a speaker inside of her pod, telling her that she needs to fasten herself in. Then, a moment after that, she hears the sound of the engine roaring to life as the tiny single-person ship prepares to shoot up the hatch, out of Palace, and away from Dabnod. Even so, this doesn't force Damiana to cease her screaming. If anything, she bangs and screams all the more. She even shoots streams of fire at the window using her fingertips. Sadly, nothing breaks, cracks, or even fractures.

"No! Let me out of this thing! I'm not leaving you and mama! I'm not leaving Dabnod! Please don't make me leave, Saeran! I don't know what to do without you!"

Saeran never looks away from his baby sister. His eyes remain fixed on her the whole time, tears streaming down his face. Damiana doesn't notice, but tears trail down her cheeks as well. Taking a gasping breath, her older brother gives a small wave. Though she can't hear him, Damiana can tell that he speaks due to the fact that his lips are moving. Of course, it doesn't matter if she can't hear him. Even with her tears and her panic, the girl can read his lips perfectly.

_"Goodbye, Damiana. I love you."_

Somehow those simple words cause Damiana to go limp. Pressing her arms and her forehead against the glass, she sobs bitterly. Meanwhile, the girl replies to her brother's last words to her as loudly as she can manage.

"I love you too, Saeran! If you find mama, give her a hug and a kiss for me! Tell her I love her!"

It is then that Damiana discovers she'd said the words just in time. Not even a second later the space pod is pulled backwards by about three feet and is then propelled up a long vertical shaft. Once this happens Damiana doesn't feel her body getting roughly flung against the ship's metal wall. She doesn't notice how the red glow of the ship's control panel is the only thing giving her light. When the space pod exits the shaft she doesn't even notice the orange and black sky or the Tamaranean warriors that shoot starbolts at her tiny vessel as it rushes to break free from the atmosphere. All she does is curl into a tight ball against the cold metal ground while crying sorrowful, pain-filled, tears.

* * *

Four Hours Later

Damiana doesn't know how long it took, but she eventually stood up from the floor and strapped herself into her seat. Honestly, she doesn't want to float through space in this tiny ship and doesn't want to continue getting farther away from Dabnod. If she could, she would return to the planet right now and stay there; even if it meant being killed by the Tamaraneans or their allies. Of course, Damiana knows that this is quite impossible. Through the pressing of many buttons, it has been learned that the ship is set on autopilot and cannot be reprogrammed without extensive technical knowledge. Also, she learned that the space pod will do one of two things depending on what happens to Dabnod.

If Queen Guayusa and her knights win against the Tamaraneans then her ship will go back to Dabnod along with all of the others. When that happens she can find mama and Saeran, help rebuild, possibly become a Palace scribe, and live happily ever after just like in the fairy tale book she was reading. However, if something happens where the Dabnodians loss the war and the planet parishes, then the ship's computer program will select a planet and take her there. If that happens she will be forced to live on an alien world all by herself without a family and could very well be miserable for the remainder of her days. Of course, if she's living by herself without a home or a family, the remainder of her days might not be very long.

Taking in a deep breath, Damiana does her best to stay calm. Most likely the latter option won't happen. This is Queen Guayusa and her army of powerful Dabnodian knights. Not to mention there are a lot of strong elemental wielders among Dabnodian civilians too. Most likely Dabnod will be fine and Damiana will get to return home in no more than a day. Running a hand through currently black and purple tresses, the girl begins using her other hand to dig around inside a medium-sized bag she brought with her. In this bag are basic things her mother hastily threw in, such as nonperishable food, water, and two changes of clothes. However, buried at the bottom, there are a few things that Damiana stuffed in there by herself. These things would be the three books she grabbed out of her room; books written in the Dabnodian language containing stories native to her planet.

It takes some searching, but at last Damiana finds what she's looking for. Giving the smallest of grins, she pulls out a hardcover book with a green and silver cover. At first Damiana's intent was to read the book. If not read it, then she was at least going to flip through and look at the pictures. There are pictures of fields with tall purple grasses; pictures of endless orange oceans meeting purple and green skies; pictures of quaint villages built out of rose colored stone and black obsidian. Wherever a place exists on Dabnod, this book has a picture that goes with it. The very reason Damiana grabbed this book was because in case the Tamaraneans destroy these places she will always be able to look at them.

Yet, for some reason, the girl doesn't open the book. Instead she holds it tightly to her chest and looks out the ship's window. Earlier when she gazed out into space she was able to see other pods floating alongside hers as well as the massive orange and purple orb known as Dabnod. If she looked close enough at the planet she was able to see cloud-like masses the colors of black and burnt orange. Right now, however, the sight is very different. Dabnod, which looked like a massive orb just a few hours ago, isn't any larger than a golf ball. Of course, besides Dabnod, Damiana doesn't see anything except stars and thick never-ending blackness. She can't even see other space pods anymore. Terrified at how far away she's drifting, Damiana prays to a random deity that might be listening.

"If there's someone out there who can hear me , please let me be okay. More than anything I want to go back to Dabnod, but if I can't please let me get through it somehow. I pray that Saeran didn't save my life for nothing." It takes a long time, but at last she adds, "Also, if it's not too much trouble, please keep mama and Saeran safe too. Whether they're on the planet or off the planet, please keep them safe."

With that being said, the small-framed eleven-year-old curls her legs under her and sits in silence. The whole time she continues sitting in her seat and staring out the window. She has no idea how long she stares at the purple and orange orb that was her birth place. All Damiana knows is that in the time she watches it, Dabnod shrinks from the size of a golf ball to the size of a large marble. She's so far away at this point that the orange and purple blend together into a single color. Biting her lower lip, she whispers to herself for comfort.

"Dabnod's going to be okay. Queen Guayusa is going to win."

For twenty minutes straight she repeats these words like a mantra. Somehow, even though Damiana is seventy-percent sure that she's lying to herself, it manages to reassure her. Of course, a few seconds later, the words aren't comforting in the least. Even if she did utter her mantra it would only make her cry or pass out from shock.

**BOOM!**

All of the sudden, without the slightest bit of warning, the orange and purple marble-sized orb explodes into a mass of black, bright yellow, and burnt orange. The explosion is one so massive that it is easily three times the size of the planet itself. Upon closer observation, it could possibly quadruple Dabnod's size. Damiana would know for sure, but she doesn't get the chance to observe. Approximately ten seconds after the explosion her tiny space pod is sent reeling. It tosses and turns so quickly that she drops her book and braces herself against the edges of her seat for safety. Even with as quickly as the pod is moving, Damiana doesn't notice the spinning. She is in a state of shock and disbelief.

"No," the girl whispers aloud. "That didn't happen. That did not just happen. Dabnod is fine. It must have been a star… A meteorite… Or maybe one of Dabnod's moons…"

The girl tries to keep herself in a state of denial. She truly does. However, when the space pod's engine roars to life and the vessel stops its quick turning, denial becomes harder. A moment or two later the window transforms into a type of screen and denial becomes impossible. In bold Dabnodian letters, the words  ** _"Home Planet Annihilated"_** appear. Once this happens the sound of a robotic voice comes over a speaker. What it says causes Damiana's eyes to water with fresh tears.

"Your home planet, the planet of Dabnod, has been annihilated. The search for a new home planet is now commencing."

With that the words vanish from the screen, pictures of rapidly-changing planets taking its place. As she watches the screen, Damiana feels herself sobbing for the second time in one day. Even so, she still watches the screen. When the changing of images stops, it happens on a small green and blue planet. Honestly, Damiana is surprised by the size of it. It's only about half the size of Dabnod. When the planet lights up red and the voice comes back over the speakers, Damiana knows that this little planet is where this pod is going to forcibly take her.

"A new planet has been located. We are now setting in course for planet Earth."

Damiana stares blankly at the blue and green planet through her gray tear-stained eyes. Earth. She recognizes the name. Speaking several Earth languages and having read many books from there, she is actually very familiar. Quite honestly, she should be happy that the space pod is dragging her to a place that she knows well. Yet, Damiana isn't happy at all. Instead, the girl has never felt more miserable and more helpless in her entire life.

Speaking in between sobs, she voices her worries aloud. "You're all alone now, Damiana. There's no mama and there's no Saeran. You're going to be all by yourself on an alien planet."

 


	2. Part I: Inception: Chapter Two

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. Teen Titans is the property of DC Comics. (The Dabnodian race, on the other hand, is completely mine. So don't steal it!)_

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Two**

Steel City, USA

Five Years Later

On a dirty street in the rundown part of town located on a dark corner is a little café. In this café sitting in the most shadowy part of the room is a girl. Due to her spot hidden in a booth nobody sees her, but even if they did they would simply pass her by. Wearing faded blue jeans with holes torn in various places and a dark blue sweatshirt with one too many stains, she seems like nothing more than another lowlife bum. Of course, this doesn't bother the girl any. If she truly wanted attention, all she would have to do is put down the large hood that conceals the majority of her face.

Underneath the hood, the girl's face appears to be around sixteen years old. Even at sixteen the girl has a type of beauty that almost seems unearthly. Her skin, which is neither too tanned nor to pale, has an odd type of color to it. If one observed her closely, they might say that it almost has a golden cast. Along with that she has full lips the color of roses, a small nose, and a perfect heart-shaped face. Her eyes, which are large and lovely, are a dazzling shade of emerald green. Then she has lengthy hair that hangs in long golden-brown curls. Strangely, when people look at her from an unbearably close distance, they can almost see the shades of green changing and streaks of odd colors occasionally appearing in her hair.

Of course, right now, nobody sees any of this and the girl doesn't see any of them. All of her focus is on a blue spiral notebook and on a slice of cherry pie. The led of her plain yellow pencil is worn down as is the eraser, but still she writes. While writing, she shoves a chunk of pie into her mouth and chews it hungrily. There isn't a whole lot on the blue-lined pages, but what is written is still good nonetheless:

 _"The woman walked down every alleyway and sauntered down every street._  
She peeked around corners and inside dusty windows, hoping one day they might meet.  
The familiar ruffling of a tunic, or of laughter, in the breeze; anything would do.  
As long as there was the smallest chance of seeing someone she once knew.  
Whether they appeared as flesh or phantom, it did not matter.  
As long as she might, one last time, feel the love behind their chatter…"

Swallowing the bite of pie, the girl gives a halfhearted shrug while staring down at her notebook. She whispers her thoughts aloud while pondering the next line.

"It's not much, but it's a start. I just hope that people don't find this one depressing…"

"Don't talk that way, Leila. Depressing or not, your poems are always beautiful."

So stooped was the girl in her poetry writing that she never heard the gentle patter of footsteps approaching the booth. Looking up, she sees exactly the person she expected. A young woman no older than twenty-one with pale blonde hair pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. The woman is adorned by a blue waitress uniform the same crystal blue color as her eyes. She is a tiny-framed woman with an innocent and youthful face, probably making her appear younger than she is in reality. Happy at the sight of her, the girl gives a gentle smile.

"Thank you, Darcy. I certainly hope you mean that. This poem is for next week's poetry reading."

Eyes lighting up, Darcy beams. "Really? That's fantastic! I've been wondering when you'd recite another one! You have no idea the number of poetry night regulars we've gotten since then!"

Stabbing at another chunk of the pie, the teen can't help but smirk. "Actually, I know the exact numbers. You've told me at least thirty times, and that's today alone."

The waitress returns her smirk. "Oh, tee hee. If it isn't Leila Johnson, the Queen of sarcasm."

"Sorry," the sixteen-year-old apologizes. "I just think that you're giving me too much credit is all. This doesn't just apply to poetry night, either."

Darcy waves a hand dismissively, completely ignoring her protests. "Nonsense. It's only since we've hired you for live music that we've gotten more customers, and only since you've been reading your poems that more people attend poetry night. In the end, credit is due where credit is due."

A brown lock falling out from inside her hood, the girl twirls it around an index finger awkwardly. "Yeah, I know…" she says hesitantly. "Just don't make a fuss over me, okay? I'm just doing my job and enjoying my hobbies."

Ruffling the hair under her hood in a sisterly manner, Darcy rolls her eyes. "Alright, fine. If you insist, I'll allow you to be modest. As long as you don't quit showing up for work."

It is here that the teenager's smile morphs into a miniscule frown. Not a frown of anger or sadness, but one that seems to hold a dark secret. The expression may be nearly invisible, but it nevertheless exists.

"I'm not quitting anytime soon, Darcy. Believe me. I couldn't even if I wanted to." Pausing, she adds, "I'll be here tonight at eight. An hour early just like you asked."

The young woman grins widely. "Good. I'll be looking forward to it."

With that said, Darcy turns in preparation to leave. Before she does, however, her blue eyes skim the girl over carefully. A moment later she raises a surprised brow.

"By the way, Leila, I love the purple streaks you put in your hair! You look like a rock star!"

Once the words are out, the woman finally walks away. It's a good thing she does, too, because otherwise she would have seen the purple streaks shift to bright green. Releasing a frightened gasp, the girl tucks every solitary piece of hair under her hood with precision. A few minutes later, when she's certain the strands are covered, she flips to a page in the notebook that contains a shopping list. In all capitals in the top margin, both underlined and circled, she writes  _"hair dye"_.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"I don't understand why we're doing this, Bee. Wherever this guy's at, he's probably long gone by now. We're not going to catch him."

Speedy stands in a dark alleyway, his Titan communicator in one hand and his bow gripped in the other. He's been wandering through this seedy part of town for the past half hour, hoping to find a man with a blue and black mask and a sack of money. Unfortunately, he hasn't seen anything of the sort. The only things loitering around this side of town in the growing dusk are bearded hobos sleeping in dumpsters and pimps smoking joints on street corners. Knowing that their man probably isn't here, Speedy contacted their overbearing leader. Of course, as he expected, she is far from happy.

Brown eyes narrowed into a glare, Bumblebee scolds him through the device. "Listen to me, Speedy! The rest of us are working just as hard as you are, so don't think I'm letting you get off easy! This guy robbed two jewelry stores and three banks in one week, and the city's depending on us to catch him! So the next time you check in, it'd better be because you're done searching that part of town or because you found him and need backup! Understand?!"

Irritated, the redhead gives a sigh. "Alright, fine. I'll finish searching the area, but if I don't find him I'm heading back to the Tower. I'm not wasting my energy looking for someone I'll never find."

Bee rolls her eyes. "Fine. Just finish your share of the searching and report back."

"Will do."

With that, Speedy shuts his communicator before the woman can say anything more. The whole time he can't stop himself from feeling excessively annoyed. Not just at Bee, but at the masked criminal they're after. He doesn't like to admit it, but this has to be one of the hardest villains the Titans East has faced in a long time. With the kind of powers the guy possess, capturing him is nearly impossible. As a matter of fact, just fighting him is far from easy. Shoving the communicator back in his pocket, the redheaded Titan grumbles to himself.

"Well, I guess I'd better keep looking. It's not like it'll do any good, though. Even if I do find him, it's not like the other Titans are going to get here in time to help me catch him."

* * *

The curtains are pulled, the lights are off, and the motel room door is bolted shut. Normally at this time Damiana would be eating a peanut butter sandwich in front of the TV watching the evening news. Instead she stands inside the bathroom observing the hair which she thoroughly colored in panic. Most of the sixteen-year-olds on this planet don't live quite like she does. They don't have to work themselves to death just to afford a vermin-infested motel room, they don't have to go out of their way to avoid actual jobs because they lack a social security number, and a quarter of their monthly income doesn't go out on colored contact lenses and hair dye. Now that Damiana thinks about it, humans in general don't have half the problems she has. Such as explaining to the owner of the motel why there's a scorch mark on the bathroom floor where she tried killing a rat…

Spotting the reflection of the charred tile in the mirror above the sink, Damiana sighs. How on earth she's going to explain it to Mr. Peterson she hasn't a clue. Shifting her gaze back to herself, the young alien stares at her newly colored tresses. This morning she'd had the slightest hunch that the dye was starting to wear off, but her highest hopes had been that it would hold out for a few more days. The highest quality hair dye on the market and it still doesn't last for more than two and a half weeks. It used to last for four, but recently it hasn't been doing the job quite as well. It's incredibly frustrating to say the least.

Running a hand over wet and completely brown tresses, the girl whispers to herself in her native tongue. "Relax, Damiana. Your hair is fine now. Nobody saw besides Darcy, and nobody ever will see." Stepping out of the bathroom and into the dwelling's main section, she switches to English. "I need something to eat before I leave. I'm starving!"

Damiana flips on an old and slightly staticky TV before going over to the tiny fridge and pulling out a container of leftover macaroni. It's from three days ago, but she assumes it isn't spoiled. Even if it is, the girl is stuck with it either way considering how she ran out of bread yesterday and cereal the day before that. After dying her hair only moments ago, there isn't any hair dye left either. Maybe if there's time between cleaning houses and dog walking tomorrow she can get around to that shopping list.

Grabbing a metal fork off of the dish rack, Damiana makes her way over to the room's single twin-sized bed and grabs the remote from beside her. Shoving a fork full of macaroni into her mouth, she turns up the sound on the TV which always happens to be on the news channel. Not so much by choice, but more or less because it's either this, the Golf Channel, or QVC. Then again, Damiana doesn't really mind much. Seeing what's happening in Steel City, in America, and in other places on this planet is really quite interesting. TV never existed on Dabnod, so neither did the news. Watching the screen intently, Damiana sees as a blonde anchorwoman in a red dress appears.

"Good evening, Steel City. I'm coming to you live from the local Fifth Third Bank which was robbed only one hour ago. Astonishingly, this is the third bank robbery this week and is a result of the same criminal. Similar to this week's other robberies, the Titans came on the scene only to have the perpetrator evade capture. After speaking with the bank's owner and Steel City's Police Chief, we got permission to show this footage from one of the security cameras. Roll the film."

A second later the anchorwoman's image is replaced by a large vault. The vault is wide open, an average sized man wearing a tight black body suit standing directly in front of it. At first it only shows him from the back, but once he turns a thick royal blue stripe is showed trailing down the center of his torso. The man also wears a black and royal blue mask that covers his entire face. Much like the body suit, the royal blue stripe trails down the mask's center.

Getting several steps closer to the opened vault, the man pulls a large burlap sack practically out of thin air. One moment there was nothing in his hands at all, and the next he's holding the sack wide open for money, gold, and jewels to fly into. Damiana has no idea how it happens, but all of the vault's contents are being sucked into the bag like a vacuum cleaner. It makes Damiana wonder if he's shrinking the valuables down somehow or if the burlap bag is really some type of hidden portal to another location. Shoving another noodle into her mouth, she watches as the vault empties out and as the criminal gives a maniacal laugh. A moment later he speaks in a deep, scratchy, voice.

"Well, that was much easier than usual without those pesky Titans around. It looks like they're not even going try stopping me."

Knotting the sack shut and tossing it over his shoulder, the man appears ready to flee. However, before he can, a random arrow shoots past him and knocks the sack of valuables from his arms. Due to the arrow's force, the bag flies halfway across the room and ends up pegged to a wall. The villain turns in the direction of the weapons fire, clearly surprised. It takes a moment, but eventually five people come in sight of the camera. These people being a confident-looking Bumblebee, a tough-looking Aqualad, the fast-moving twins Mas y Menos, and a smug-looking Speedy. Damiana can't help but roll her eyes at the redhead. Despite being the only member of the Titans East without powers, he certainly knows how to act full of himself. When he speaks this only helps to confirm her thoughts.

"I guess you though wrong. It looks like we showed up in time after all. I hope you didn't miss us," Speedy says with an arrogant smirk as he pulls out several more arrows.

Bumblebee speaks next, sounding like the leader she is. "You're not getting away from us this time. We were going too easy on you before, but this time we're not holding back." To the rest of her team she exclaims, "Titans, go!"

Before Damiana can count to ten Aqualad is shown breaking several of the building's pipes, aiming the rushing water at the masked man in the form of a wave. An instant later Speedy shoots several more arrows at the bank robber. It goes beyond the alien teen's comprehension, but somehow the weapons manage to freeze the water. Thus, this freezes the criminal as well. Once he's frozen in the ice Bumblebee flies over to him.

"There's no escaping now, so it's time to give up and tell us who you are."

Aqualad moves closer to the criminal while making several inquiries. "Is there any particular reason you've been stealing this many valuable this many days in a row? Not even the most daring criminals are willing to go this far out of their way."

The masked man doesn't answer right away. Instead he releases a laugh, sounding as though he's mocking them. "Just listen to yourselves. You think you've got me right where you want me, don't you? I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but sadly, that just isn't the case."

Wearing the same smug smirk, Speedy steps closer as well. "No offense, but you're not really in a position to hold out on us. You're frozen in a block of ice."

Though his face can't be seen, it's obvious to Damiana that the bank robber is rolling his eyes under the mask. "Of course," he says with seething sarcasm. "I'm helplessly trapped. Woe is me."

What happens next nearly causes Damiana to drop her small container of macaroni and choke on the food in her mouth in the process. Normally when someone gets frozen in a block of ice there's no escaping. (Or at least that's true for humans, anyway. Damiana could easily melt herself out if she were ever to get caught in that predicament… Then if it were Saeran, he could simply re-liquefy the ice into water…) However, for this guy, being encased by ice doesn't stop him in the least. All it takes is a single instant for the royal blue stripe on his mask to transform into glowing white. Then, an instant later, the thief is gone. Damiana doesn't even see him disappear. He is simply there one moment and gone the next, making it completely unknown how he accomplished such an action.

The video pauses, rewinds, and plays the part where he vanishes again. Damiana doesn't know if they do this for dramatic effect or simply to get the viewers' attention, but it works very well to accomplish either task. At last the anchorwoman's voice returns, followed by her location in front of the recently robbed bank. As she speaks her professional tone never leaves.

"Upon viewing such evidence, it has become apparent to officials and citizens alike that this nameless criminal could prove to be a danger to Steel City. On five different occasions the Titans have attempted to capture him and have failed. Is this criminal one so dangerous that even the Titans East might not be able put a stop to him? Right now the question being asked is whether or not the Titans East can handle this masked thief by themselves. Will they need to recruit help? We asked them this very question directly after the criminal's fifth escape and this is what they had to say:"

The anchorwoman's image is once again replaced by a video. It is the exact same spot, the only difference being the slightly different position of the sun and the police officers milling around in the background. Another difference would be the five Titans who stand side-by-side as the red dress lady shoves a microphone towards them; or, more specifically, towards Bumblebee.

"Bumblebee," asks the anchorwoman, "this is the fifth time this criminal has escaped from you and the Titans within the past few days. Is this correct?"

Doing her best to hide her embarrassment behind professionalism, Bumblebee gives a nod. "Yes. This is the fifth time he's gotten away from us. As the only criminal to ever escape from the Titans East, I can definitely say that this guy is going to be a difficult one to catch."

The blonde woman gives a nod. "Ah, yes. I see." After a momentary pause she asks another question. "Bumblebee, civilians have been wondering if the Titans East can handle this criminal on their own. Do you think that you can do it, or will you need the help of the Titans West?"

The female hero opens her mouth midway, prepared to respond. However, that is when Speedy makes a snide remark from his place between Aqualad and Mas. The remark causes Damiana to sigh and slap an irritated palm to her forehead.

"What?" asks the archer. "You don't think a team of secondary Titans can handle tough villains as well as the  _'original'_  Titans from Jump City? It's good to know that you have faith in us."

The blonde's eyes widen and Bumblebee shoots her teammate a scowl. Aqualad and Mas y Menos, on the other hand, simply watch and keep out of the potential argument. The whole time the anchorwoman does her best to temper the irritation of the upset Titan.

"Of course not, Speedy! That's not how Steel City views the Titans East at all! The Titans East have been very successful in protecting the city. There are simply those civilians who feel that the Titans West are better equipped to handle a criminal of this caliber. The Titans West has five team members each with different abilities. While the Titans East also has five people, your effectiveness might be lessened due to the fact that there are only four different abilities available to you."

Crossing his arms over his chest in an annoyed fashion, Speedy shoots her a frown. "That's exactly what you're saying, isn't it? You think that the Titans East comes in second place to the Titans West." Pausing, he adds, "We're just as capable as them, you know. If we weren't, then Robin never would have selected us to create another team. The Titans West are our fellow Titans and our allies; not an emergency button we can press whenever we think we  _might_ need it."

Bumblebee, who'd previously been glaring at the redhead, begins furrowing her brow in consideration at his words. At last, she replies to the anchorwoman. "I don't say this a lot, but for once I'm siding with Speedy. The Titans East can handle this criminal on our own. If something happens where we absolutely cannot capture this guy without help, then we'll call on the Titans West."

Eyes narrowing in concern, the anchorwoman makes an additional inquiry. "You're absolutely positive that you're going to be able to capture him on your own? Even after five failed attempts?"

"Yes," replies Bumblebee with a smile. "I have faith in this team and I know we can do it."

Smiling, the anchorwoman gives a laugh. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. Being the only lady on the team, it's a wonder that you haven't gotten irritated and left."

Bee, too gives a chuckle. "Trust me. Being the only girl can be more irritating than you think. The idea of having another girl on the team is almost enough for me to consider adding another Titan."

The anchorwoman, still all smiles, supports her statement. "Hey, that might be just the thing, Bumblebee; another lady Titan. Maybe all you need is more girl power."

With that, the video pauses. A moment later it switches from the video to the anchorwoman's current image. Sounding completely the concerned newscaster, she speaks.

"Since speaking with them an hour ago, the young Titans haven't rested. They're searching the city at this very moment in search of the criminal. Currently it looks as though they won't be contacting their fellow Titans at the Titans West Tower for support. Because of this, their success in capturing the criminal is still in question. According to the Police Chief, if the Titans don't capture him in the next forty-eight hours, the Steel City Police Force will be taking their own measures to ensure that he is detained. Until then stay inside, keep your doors locked, and trust the Titans. This is Barbara Harris and I wish all of Steel City a safe and uneventful evening."

With that the newscast ends and commercials start up. Up next it looks like there are going to be news stories about the Titans in Jump City, about the Justice League, and about stuff going on in places such as Asia and the Middle East. Chewing her macaroni thoroughly, Damiana is looking forward to all of it. However, upon glancing at the digital clock on her bedside table the young alien learns that there is no time for this. It's already twenty minutes after seven. If she's going to be at the café by eight o'clock, then she needs to leave now. Getting from her motel room to the café is an extremely long walk even when taking shortcuts. Sighing in disappointment, she puts the lid back on the container and walks across the room to shove it in the fridge.

"I wish I could show up an hour later like on all of the other nights. After caring for animals and cleaning houses all day, the only thing I wanted was to sit down," Damiana grumbles in Dabnodian. Then she adds, "Oh, well. I shouldn't complain too much. It's because of this job that I'm no longer homeless."

Once that's said, the girl walks over to a small dresser and pulls out a black hooded sweatshirt. She throws it on over plain green spaghetti straps, changes into a pair of jeans with a few less holes, and pulls a second-hand guitar out from under her bed. Making sure that the guitar case is zipped up and that the strap is adjusted properly, Damiana puts it on over her shoulder while walking toward the door. Before exiting the motel room, the girl can't help but wonder how full the café is going to be tonight. It seems like every time she shows up to sing there are always more people there to watch her. Darcy has even mentioned knocking down a wall and adding more seats to the seating area. Damiana can't help but shake her head at the thought.

"Humans can be so strange," she whispers in her native tongue. "On Dabnod being a good singer mattered about as much as being able to put your leg behind your head. It's weird to think that something of such little importance would eventually help me so much."

Once that's said, Damiana heads out the door and into the early night. The young alien doesn't realize it, but more is going to happen tonight then she could ever imagine.

* * *

Speedy has absolutely no idea why this dumpy little building caught his eye. It could have been because of the sign reading  _"Lola's Café"_ in bright neon pink letters, making him wonder if the place has pie. It might have been the unusually large amount of people heading in through the double doors chattering away in excitement.  _"The music here is, like, fantastic!"_  said a blonde girl wearing a tight blue mini dress.  _"I swear, that Leila girl is, like, the best singer ever!"_ Or it simply could have been because Speedy is Speedy; therefore, he has a natural curiosity. Like many other occasions Speedy's curiosity as well as his bad boy charm has served him well. Sure Aqualad and Bumblebee wouldn't say the same, but they just don't understand his methods. Sometimes getting useful information and personal enjoyment can be one and the same. This especially applies to this moment in particular.

"Like, oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH! Are you, like, seriously Speedy from, like, the Titans East?"

Speedy sits in the center of the café at a large round table. In front of him is a slice of cherry pie and a Mountain Dew. On every side of him, both sitting and standing, are many numerous young ladies. Sitting directly beside him, much to his pleasure, is the blonde in the blue mini dress. Out of all the girls she's been doing the most talking. Not just to Speedy, but to people in general. She is obviously very social and can be heard clear across a crowded room. Based on this fact alone, the blonde could very well serve his purpose.

Giving an arrogant smirk, Speedy responds to the girl's question. "Yes, I am. I'm the real deal, and I have the bow to prove it."

Taking a bite of his pie using one hand, the masked archer uses the other to hold up his bow. When he does this the girls begin squealing and screaming in delight. Once he motions to the quiver on his back this is even more the case. Eventually the teen in the dress speaks again.

"Wow! Like, you actually are Speedy! Like, what are you doing on this side of town?"

Smirk never leaving, Speedy explains. "Nothing too much. I'm just searching this section of the city for a dangerous criminal. I've been looking for him all night now." Pausing, he adds, "The guy robs banks and jewelry stores, has a black and blue costume, and is incredibly dangerous. Have you girls heard of him?"

Blue mini dress girl exchanges glances with several of her friends who are dressed in an assortment of short-shorts, miniskirts, midriff tops, and low-necked blouses. Their faces are caked with makeup as well, making Speedy wonder what their actual faces look like. It takes a few minutes, but eventually one of the girls responds.

"Like, we're sorry. We, like, haven't heard of him," says a brunette in a black sequin miniskirt.

The mini dress girl takes back over. "We'd help you if we could, but like, we're not even allowed on this side of town. Like, if any of our parents found out, they'd totally kill us."

Taking another bite of his pie, Speedy nods in understanding. "Nah, it's okay. Don't worry about it. You ladies seem like the sociable type so I thought you'd know something, but I guess it doesn't matter if you don't. The other Titans and I will catch him at some point anyway."

Much to Speedy's enjoyment, blue mini dress girl sidles closer to him and puts a hand on his knee. The brunette in the black miniskirt gets closer to him as well and places perfectly manicured fingers on each of his shoulders. If Speedy's smirk wasn't smug and egotistical before, then it is doubtlessly that way now.

"Well, duh! Of course you will! You're, like, the Teen Titans!" exclaims the brunette.

"You're totally cool and are, like, the greatest superheroes ever!" says the mini dress girl. "There's no way that you won't catch him!"

Another girl, a platinum blonde wearing jean short-shorts and a fuchsia midriff top, forces her way closer and pays the hero her own compliment. "You guys are totally awesome! I watch the Titans East on TV, like, every night! All of the villains must be, like, totally afraid of you!"

Grinning like a little kid at a candy shop, the archer turns to face them. "Thank you, ladies. You know, I wasn't too happy about having to search this side of town tonight, but meeting lovely women such as you have made it completely worth it."

Once again the girls burst into a fit of screams, squeals, and giggles. The whole time they hug Speedy from the sides and from behind. Making his rounds, he is careful to give them each a pat on the hand or back. Bumblebee will certainly kill him for this later, but it's worth it for the moment. Smirking wider than ever before, Speedy speaks out.

"It's okay, ladies, don't crowd me. There's enough of Speedy to go around."

Several long seconds pass, the throng of girls continuing on in their fangirling. They all pay various forms of compliments, not to him specifically, but to the Titans East as a whole. All comments are along the lines of  _"You guys are the best"_ ,  _"Tell Bumblebee that she kicks butt!"_ ,  _"Mas y Menos are adorable"_ , and oddly,  _"Will you sign my stomach?!"_  It is because of this that one comment in particular catches him really off guard. Not just because of the wording, but because it causes all of the other girls to stop what they're doing.

"Guys, don't look now, but you totally have to get a load of Leila. Her face is, like, hilarious!"

Apparently everyone ignores the words  _"don't look now"_  because they immediately cease fawning over Speedy and turn their gazes in one general direction. Curious at who they're referring to, Speedy looks in the same direction. The first thing that comes to his attention is a small platform built against the café's back wall. On the platform is a stool, a microphone, a piano, and of course, a girl. She stands to the platform's far right, tuning a simple and undecorated guitar. As she tunes it, he notices that she isn't dressed like any of the other girls.

She isn't dressed in exposing clothing or clothes that are extra glittery. Instead she wears a pair of faded jeans with holes in the knees and a black hooded sweatshirt. Now that he's observing them more closely, the articles of clothing are a tad bit worn. Even her shoes, which are a pair of black converse, look like they're about ready to fall apart. Aside from her clothes, however, Speedy has to say that she looks normal. Really, normal is actually an understatement. With wavy golden-brown tresses that reach her waist, dazzling emerald green eyes, and a petite frame she is really quite pretty; very pretty, actually. Honestly, she is far prettier than the majority of females surrounding him now.

Wondering if the girl he's looking at is the one they're talking about, he asks, "Leila?"

"Yeah, Leila," says mini dress girl. "She's the anorexic hobo holding the guitar. She sings, like, really well, but under the sweatshirt she looks like she's about to, like, die or something."

"She was just rolling her eyes and scowling at us," adds the brunette in the black mini skirt.

Speedy gives a nod and continues staring at her. Meanwhile, he asks, "What do you mean hobo? Doesn't she have a family?"

"We don't think so," says a random girl from behind him. "As far as we know, she's been on her own for years now. She might have even been homeless up until a few months ago."

The redheaded archer doesn't speak. He simply continues to stare at the girl completely mesmerized. Based on her features, she's only about fifteen or sixteen. How has someone so young been on their own for years now? Wouldn't someone like her be in an orphanage or in foster care or something? Wandering around this part of Steel City alone has got to be very dangerous for a teenage girl; especially one as pretty as her. Several moments pass and still he stares at her, as do the girls surrounding him. The only time Speedy is broken out of his trance is when Leila looks up from the task of tuning her guitar. The instant she spots their intense stares she rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and shouts across the room at them.

"What are you people staring at?! Let me tune my guitar and leave me be! Go back to your fangirling!" Pausing, she adds, "And, Speedy, I watched the news this evening! If you really don't want to come in second place to the Titans West, then you'd better start searching for the bank robber man! Hasn't he escaped from you guys five times already?!"

The archer's eyes widen in shock underneath his mask. Out of all the civilians he's had the pleasure of coming into contact with, none of them has ever spoken to him so bluntly. Because of this he can't help but be offended.

Giving her an irritated look, Speedy responds from his spot at the table. "For your information, we've been trying to find this guy all night without any luck, so don't think you can get off on calling us lazy!" Pausing, he adds crossly, "If anything, you're just jealous because you're stuck up there and don't get to hang out over here with me."

Once the words are out, Speedy is expecting Leila to set her guitar down on the platform and stomp her way over to their table. Either that, or he expects some form of verbal abuse. However, the girl manages to surprise him. Rather than retaliating she sighs and shakes her head in disbelief before returning to her previous task of tuning the guitar. The whole time she talks in a calm and even tone.

"Okay, whatever. Just forget I'm here. Return your attention to your harem."

Speedy shoots her one last glare before doing exactly that. By this time blue mini dress girl is clinging to his arm, and sequin miniskirt girl has her arms completely wrapped around his shoulders. Normally Speedy would be in celebrity heaven, finally getting the attention from the ladies he deserves. Usually Aqualad steals all of them away and leaves him with just the weird obsessive ones. Yet, for some reason, he doesn't feel quite as satisfied as he did before. In fact, avoiding looking over at Leila is a struggle. It is only when mini dress girl speaks once more that Speedy is able to forget that the girl exists and relax.

"Speedy," she says, "You're friends with, like, all the members of the Titans East. Right?"

The archer's arrogant smirk returning, he replies, "Yes. As a Titan myself, I would say that I'm friends with all of them."

"Really? That's great! We were, like, totally hoping you'd say that!" she exclaims.

Another girl, the one in the fuchsia midriff top, makes an overly joyful inquiry. "Does that mean you can introduce us to Aqualad?! Because we would totally love that!"

The moment the words come out, Speedy's eyes widen beneath his mask. Not only that, but his jaw drops so far that it nearly breaks. Expression of shock quickly morphing into an angry scowl, he shoves the ladies' arms off of his body and gets to his feet. Taking several steps away from the group of traitors, he glares at them in a mixture of shock, anger, and disbelief. The whole time the girls cower slightly, blindly hoping that Speedy will still hook them up with the aquatic Titan. Meanwhile, Speedy speaks to them sounding incredibly offended.

"Hold on," he says. "The only reason you've been hanging onto me like leeches for half the night is because you were hoping I'd set you all up with Aqualad?!"

The girl in the blue dress nibbles her lower lip before giving a hesitant nod. "Well…yah. You're, like, really nice and, like, super cool, but Aqualad is crazy hot!"

"Yeah," adds the platinum blonde in the midriff top. "Aqualad's the awesomest! He has these cool water abilities and can talk to sea creatures, but you…you just have your arrow…thingies..."

His jaw drops once more. A moment afterward Speedy gives them each the worst scowls of their lives. Pointing at them with his bow, he exclaims, "Yeah? While my  _'arrow thingies'_  have helped save Steel City more times than you can count!" Pausing, he adds with a mocking smirk, "Actually, that really doesn't say much. How high can you count, anyway? Maybe to five or six…"

The girls give startled gasps at the insult while several of the surrounding people snicker. Speedy doesn't realize it, but one of the people snickering is Leila. Appearing extremely insulted, blue mini dress girl turns to face her friends.

"Come on, ladies. Like, let's get out of here. Our mission, like, totally failed."

Shooting Speedy a mixture of nasty glares and disappointed frowns, the harem appears ready to walk out the door of the cafe. Before they do, however, Speedy decides to stop them. Not because they're forgiven; far from it. Instead he stops them for a different reason entirely. After all, nothing is better than playing a friendly prank on his good pal Aqualad. Turning his mocking smirk into an apologetic smile, he rushes over to block the ladies' path of travel.

"Hold on, girls! Wait up!" Speedy exclaims loudly. Once in front of them he completely ignores the dirty looks he gets and continues. "Listen, I'm sorry about offending you and I'm sorry that I wasn't more understanding. All you girls want is to have some fun with Aqualad, right?"

Immediately their faces brighten. Exchanging glances, the ladies mutter amongst themselves before turning back to the Titan. As always, it is blue mini dress girl that speaks first.

"Uh…yah… Hanging out with Aqualad is, like, totally what we want."

Smile growing happier, he gets a few steps closer to them. "See, that's exactly what I thought! That being the case, why should I be so bitter because you girls prefer Aqualad over me? As Aqualad's friend and as a friendly guy in general, how about I tell you exactly where you can find him?"

The girls burst into fits of squeals and delighted screams before he even has a chance to finish the sentence. Removing his wallet, Speedy pulls out a twenty and a five-dollar bill.

"Aqualad is down by the docks. Not the deserted docks where people go fishing, but the section where people put their yachts' and fancy boats over by First Street. You ladies know the place?"

Eyes dancing with joy, blue mini dress girl jumps up and down excitedly. "Ooh, yes! I totally know the place! Like, that's where daddy parks his small vacation yacht and, like, the big one too!"

Putting a gloved hand to his mouth, Speedy gives a gasp of false excitement. "Oh my gosh! That is, like, totally great! Aqualad will be, like, totally happy to see you guys!" Taking blue mini dress girl by the hand, the archer tucks the twenty and the five inside of her palm. "Here take this and buy yourselves some fish tacos! They're Aqualad's favorite! What's left can help pay for the cab to the docks."

All the girls squeal and jump up and down in unison. A few of them even give Speedy swift hugs around the neck.

"Thanks, Speedy! You're the best!" says the girl in the black miniskirt.

With that they run out the door of the café, screaming and squealing like the crazy obsessed fangirls they are. Going back to his table, Speedy picks up his fork to finish the pie he'd started on. The whole time he chuckles under his breath.

"At least they think I'm the best. I'm sure Aqualad won't think so after tonight."

Taking a bite of his pie, Speedy once again directs his attention to the small platform. To his surprise Leila isn't tuning her guitar. Instead she's in front of her microphone with her guitar ready. Based on the giggles she tries to hold back and on how she intently avoids his gaze, she saw the whole thing and is doing her absolute best not to laugh at Aqualad's coming misfortune. For some reason, the fact that she found his cruel joke funny makes him smile. For once it isn't an arrogant smile, but is instead a happy one. So focused is he on Leila that he doesn't catch the person milling around his table. The only time he notices is when she speaks.

"You don't have to pay for the pie or the Mountain Dew. It's on the house."

Startled, Speedy gives a small jump before looking up at her. Once he sees her he's thankful to see, not a less-than-decent teenage girl in a miniskirt, but a blonde and blue-eyed waitress in her early twenties. The look she gives him isn't a smile necessarily. More or less, her expression is one that is knowing and secretive. The fact finally sinking in that he doesn't have to pay for the pie, he is about ready to thank her. Before he can, however, she speaks to him in an incredibly low whisper.

"Also, if you're after leads about Steel City's most recent criminal or where he might be hiding his loot, I would suggest going to Leila. She has no family, she lives by herself, and she does various jobs for people all over the city. She hasn't lived here long, but she knows the streets of Steel City like the back of her hand. Trust me."

With that, the waitress walks away as if she hadn't said anything. Once she's gone the only thing Speedy is able to do is keep his gaze on Leila. He's not sure why or how, but somehow he knows that what the waitress said is absolutely true. If anyone can help them track this criminal down it's that girl, Leila. Speedy can't explain it, but there's something about her that's very different.


	3. Part I: Inception: Chapter Three

_Disclaimer: I have no ownership over Teen Titans whatsoever, neither do I own any of the songs used in this chapter. The only thing I own is the Dabnodian race._

* * *

**Part I:** ****Inception:** ** **Chapter Three**

Later That Night

There are very few things in life that bother Damiana. Noisy neighbors don't bother her and phone calls in the middle of the night don't annoy her too bad. The rats that are sometimes seen in her motel room don't even get to her considering how they scurry away if she ignites so much as the smallest flame. Besides, the rats on Dabnod are twice as big. Not to mention how they have charcoal black fur, beady red eyes, and the occasional second head…Then again, those are only found in peoples' cellars when it is extremely cold outside and they have absolutely nowhere else to go. They are never in people's homes all year round like they are here. Which, to be honest, severely disturbs Damiana. So, really, rats bother her greatly… Maybe if she's lucky she can eventually live in a place without vermin.

However, it isn't the thought of returning home to rats that currently troubles her. The thing that's bothering Damiana right now is more irritating than anything she's come across during the entire five years she's spent on Earth. That thing is sitting in a secluded booth toward the back of the room with his head tilted slightly to the side, watching her intently. He left a little while ago and was gone for a good two hours. Unfortunately, now he's back. When he entered the café a second time he didn't make a big scene like before. He didn't waltz inside like a pimp with three girls on each arm. Really, it was quite the opposite. Instead he walked in through the doors quietly and discreetly, doing his best to go unnoticed. He didn't even sit at a middle table where people could see him. He chose the most secluded spot he could while still being able to see the wooden platform clearly. This is where he sits now and where he has been sitting for the past hour.

To be quite honest, when the Titan left the building earlier Damiana was extremely relieved. Out of all the people who have entered the café, Speedy was by far the most irritating. Every time she's seen him on the news Damiana automatically assumed that he was nothing but a smug, arrogant, bad boy, superhero. When she'd shared her opinion with Darcy, the waitress had told her that she could be misjudging Speedy.  _"Don't judge a book by its cover. You might be completely wrong about him,"_  is what Darcy has always told her. Of course, every time she said this, Damiana persisted in her opinion that she was undeniably correct. It is because of this, despite her complete annoyance at the superhero, that it did her heart good to see him cozying up to those girls and acting like a pimp earlier.

Of course, now his harem is gone as is his smug bad boy attitude. The only thing he's doing now is sitting at the back of the room staring at her while occasionally fiddling with his bow. Once he sent his harem after Aqualad, Damiana was positive that he would finish his pie, leave, and never come back. If he did come back, the girl was certain that it would only be to see if any of the immodestly dressed females had returned to the café. These thoughts in mind, Damiana can't help but be surprised that he'd just sit here and watch her sing for an hour. Even more surprising is that a few new girls in exposing and glittery outfits have actually walked in, yet Speedy hasn't said a word to any of them. He ignored them and let them pass him by as if he didn't even notice that they were there. Damiana doesn't like to imagine this scenario, but she's beginning to think that he actually  _didn't_  notice them. It's almost like all of his attention is trained on her, making the young alien feel increasingly disturbed.

Doing her best to pretend that Speedy isn't anywhere near here, imagining that he's back at Titans Tower or at a scummy nightclub somewhere, Damiana sits in front of the platform's little piano. Fingers flying across the keys in a flawless motion, Damiana sings along with the tune without missing a single note. Strangely, in the seven months that she's been playing at the cafe, Damiana has almost never made a mistake. This is true for both her singing and the music itself. It's only after coming to Earth that the alien girl has realized that her talent for learning entirely new languages in a tiny span of time also carries over to music. Someone can hand her a random sheet of music or make her listen to a random song, and she'll have the lyrics and the melody down perfectly in anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour. This is true for this song as well, considering how someone requested it only a few days ago and how she was able to get it completely down in a half hour.

Normally the girl does her best to play the melodies of songs on her guitar, but sometimes people request songs that make more sense to play on a piano. The song that a woman requested specifically for tonight,  _"A Thousand Miles"_  by Vanessa Carlton, would be one of those songs. Honestly, Damiana is quite glad that this song was requested. Normally people request mainstream songs by artists such as Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. She's even gotten some requests for Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus songs, some of which she doesn't mind much. However, Damiana just so happens to find this song particularly pretty. It almost makes her sad that she's reaching the end of the tune.

Her voice hitting the notes as perfectly as ever, she sings the song's final few lines."If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by? 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you…if I could just hold you…tonight."

Damiana plays the last notes before bringing the number to a close. Once the song is done she turns in her seat and faces the crowd who is now clapping wildly. They don't always clap once she's finished a song, so when they do applaud Damiana knows that she did exceptionally well. As they clap they also shout out encouraging phrases.  _"Bravo"_ ,  _"fantastic"_ ,  _"beautiful"_ ,  _"you're voice is amazing"_ , and oddly,  _"do you have a boyfriend"_. Choosing to ignore that last comment, the young alien stands and walks to the platform's edge before giving a bow. Once the bow is given she creeps over towards the microphone and waits for the applause to die down. It takes several seconds, but eventually she speaks.

Damiana smiles as she addresses the crowd. "Thank you very much for coming here tonight. I'm glad that all of you have been enjoying the music." Pausing, she adds, "I regret informing you of this, but it is fifteen minutes after eleven. This means that there are only a few minutes left until  _'Lola's Café'_  has to close for the night. However, because you have been such a wonderful audience, I think that I will squeeze in one more song before we all head home for the night. How about it?"

The crowd once again breaks into excited applause. Also, like several moments prior, that same annoying question comes forth. Damiana is fairly certain that it is the same person that asks, because the voice comes from the same general direction as before; from a table in the second row. Upon looking, Damiana realizes that a boy with short black hair wearing a leather jacket makes the inquiry.

"Come on, girl, you didn't answer my question. Do you have a boyfriend?"

Shooting him an annoyed glare, Damiana gives a swift and bitter response. "No, I don't have a boyfriend, and I'm not looking for one either."

A disappointed frown crosses his face. "Aw, but come on. I could make you so happy!"

Rolling her eyes in irritation, she gives him another scowl. "I have some money in my pocket, a place to live, and sometimes I get free pie. That's all the happiness I need."

Several people in the crowd laugh in amusement at her response. Glancing cautiously toward the back of the room, she even sees the familiar archer with the mask give a smirk. Damiana doesn't know why, but for some reason this pleases her. After staring at her like she's some kind of strange oddity for the past hour, maybe he's starting to see her as an actual being. Or, in his case, maybe he's starting to see her as a "human". Shaking her head, Damiana rids herself of thoughts about the Titan and returns her attention to the crowd.

"Okay, so who has suggestions for tonight's last song? Anyone?"

Surprisingly, nobody says anything to her outright. Instead they face each other and murmur amongst themselves, having no idea what to suggest. Damiana sings anything from pop music, to rock, to country, so that leaves her open to just about anything. Well, besides rap music, that is. Damiana absolutely despises rap music and refuses to even attempt singing it. She doesn't really like country music that much either, but she's still willing to sing it if it's requested enough. Several more minutes pass and, lucky for her, she doesn't have to sing anything related at all to rap or country music. Instead someone suggests a song that she's never played publicly before by a group that hasn't been requested in a while. Even so she knows the song well,as she hears it often at one family's house while she cleans for them. Never has she felt luckier that this family prefers listening to CDs rather than the radio.

"' _Looking for Angels'_  by Skillet," comes a voice from the back of the room.

Eyes widening, Damiana looks for the person that spoke. Considering how the majority of people are sitting at the front or in the middle rather than toward the back, it isn't too hard to spot him. To her surprise, the one that made the song request is none other than Speedy. As vocal as he is, Damiana expected that he'd say something to somebody at some point. However, she didn't expect that she would be the one he spoke to and in the form of a song request no less. Clearing her throat, she asks him to repeat himself. Not just to make sure she heard the name of the song right, but to make sure that it really was Speedy that spoke and not someone else.

"I'm sorry," she says. "What was the song again?"

The redheaded Titan stands up and shoves his way closer to the little wooden platform, a mutual expression covering his face. Only when he's seated at a mostly empty table in the front row does he speak again.

"I said  _'Looking for Angels'_  by Skillet. Do you know the song?" he asks simply.

Damiana gulps at how close he decided to move to the platform. To be honest, she wishes that Speedy wasn't sitting in front of her right now. She wishes that he was anywhere else but here. When she told him to  _"Just forget I'm here"_ when he was with those girls earlier, she meant it completely. Even if Speedy doesn't seem that bad right now, she knows what he's really like. He's a smug, arrogant, playboy. He's what she would like to call the Titans East pimp. Because of this, she wants nothing to do with him. Not just him, but she doesn't want to be involved with any of the Titans. Not because of them themselves, but because of…other various reasons…

Yet, despite this, Damiana grants Speedy a response. It's only one song, after all. Once she's done singing he'll leave the cafe with everyone else and she'll probably never see him again. Happy with this assumption, she speaks to him.

"Yeah, I know the song. I know it well, actually. I've just never played it publicly before."

Speedy's smirk returns at her response. Crossing his arms over his chest, he says, "Well, I can't think of a time better than right now to try it out. After watching you sing I highly doubt you'll mess the song up either way."

Damiana doesn't return his smile in the slightest. Instead she gives a simple nod before picking up her guitar. "Okay, then. If you insist, here it goes."

* * *

As strange as it sounds, Speedy actually didn't plan on going back to the café that night. He has no doubt that what the waitress told him was true. With her knowledge and the specific brand of freedom she wields by living on her own, Leila could be a significant asset to the Titans East. Of course, even with the truth of this, Speedy still didn't want to go back and talk to her. The reason behind this isn't anything too unbelievable. Really, the reason is one that is very easy to guess. Leila doesn't like him. The young hero could tell the moment he entered the cafe for the second time that night that Leila doesn't like him in even the tiniest increment.

Why Speedy risked going back inside he hasn't a clue. All he knows is that he had to go past it again on his way back to the Tower and that he just couldn't stay away. After seeing the shocked and disgusted look Leila shot him from her spot on the platform he doesn't know why he didn't turn around and march right back out the double doors. One thing he can admit to knowing, however, is that blue mini dress girl wasn't exaggerating. Saying that Leila is a really good singer is the understatement of the century. Speedy has never heard a voice so beautiful and enchanting in his entire life. Leila's singing absolutely cannot be topped.

Speedy would hate admitting this to people, but he only stayed as long as he did so he could listen to Leila sing.  _"Stars Dance"_  by Selena Gomez,  _"Haunted"_  by Taylor Swift,  _"Never Too Late"_  by Three Days Grace, somehow she managed to hit every note of every song like a professional. Not only that, but she honestly seems to enjoy it when she sings. One can always tell when the girl reaches a part of the song that she likes, because her eyes light up and her voice starts sounding more intense. Not intense in a bad way, but in a way that makes people want to stay and listen to her all night.

Of course, despite the obvious love Leila possesses for music, it couldn't be easier to see that this is more than just a hobby. Speedy didn't pay too much attention before, but upon observing her closer he has come to realize that the structure of her heart-shaped face is excessively rigid. It almost looks like her cheek and jaw bones are going to poke through her skin. The dark circles under her emerald green eyes only help add to this appearance. The way she occasionally holds her stomach between musical numbers as if all she wants in the world is something to eat doesn't help her case any either. Of course the final nail in the coffin, the nail that everyone but him seems to happily ignore, is how the teen discreetly frowns down at the meager amount of coins and dollars bills in her guitar case.

From the back of the room Speedy was able to spot these things, but from up close they are even more apparent. Just the supposed "joke" she spat at the guy that was flirting with her should be hint enough for anyone.  _"I have some money in my pocket, a place to live, and sometimes I get free pie. That's all the happiness I need."_ Admittedly, the way she shot the guy down was pretty funny. Yet, Leila's comment seemed awfully serious at the same time… Almost like her only goal in life is survival and nobody cares enough to toss a five-dollar bill in her guitar case instead of a one; thus, the reason why Speedy requested the song that he did. In a way it reminds him of her.

Her voice as flawless and beautiful as ever, the masked archer watches as pale bony fingers strum the guitar strings. His concealed eyes never leaving Leila's tiny form, he listens as she sings.

"Walk this world alone, try to stay on my feet. Sometimes craw, fall, but I stand up 'cause I'm afraid to sleep.

"Open my eyes to a new day, with all new problems and all new pain. All the faces are filled with so much anger, losing our dignity and hope from fear of danger.

"After all the wars, after settling the scores, at the break of dawn we will be deaf to the answers. There's so much bigotry, misunderstanding, and fear. With eyes squinted and fists clenched we reach out for what is dear."

Pausing slightly, Leila goes through the next few lines before getting to the chorus. Once she reaches the chorus her emerald green eyes are filled with an intense mixture of emotions. Or…now that he's looking again…are they more of a swampy green?

"Going through this life, looking for angels. People passing by, looking for angels. Walking down the streets, looking for angels. Everyone I meet, looking for angels."

Leila goes through the chorus several more times with many other lines in between. As she sings Speedy can't help but think that she almost sounds better than John Copper. Then again…it is only  _"almost"_. In reality, it very rarely gets better than John Copper, as Skillet is one of the best rock bands the archer has ever stumbled across. At last, several minutes later, Leila nears the end of the song.

"I became a savior to some kids I'll never meet. Sent a check in the mail to buy them something to eat.

"What will you do to make a difference, to make a change? What will you do to help someone along the way?

"Just a touch, a smile as you turn the other cheek. Pray for your enemies, humble yourself, love's staring back at me.

"In the midst of the most painful faces, angels show up in the strangest of places."

From here Leila sings the chorus several more times, ending the song. However, Speedy hardly hears it. He's too busy watching as her eyes, which were emerald green to start out with and swampy green a moment later, turn a deep shade of forest green. Not sure how to react to this unusual occurrence, the boy simply raises a puzzled brow and stares in astonishment. The whole time he barely notices as the song ends and as the café begins clearing out. Then again, even if he had noticed it wouldn't have mattered either way. Speedy's already stayed for this long. Even if Leila does hate his guts, he might as well man up and talk to her.

* * *

When there's a particular person around whom she doesn't like, ignoring them usually works for Damiana. Between the adults that whisper to each other about what they think happened to her parents, the old ladies who wonder if she's getting enough to eat, and the judgmental teens that call her an anorexic hobo, learning to ignore people has become an absolute necessity. If Damiana actually took the time to listen to all of them she's certain that she would have burned someone's face off by now. Of course, ignoring people twenty-four/seven isn't always possible; not even for Damiana. Also, it especially isn't possible when the person that irritates her the most is sitting three feet away from her staring her down like a serial killer eying up his next victim.

Sighing deeply, Damiana speaks into the microphone as the people in the café begin clearing out. Hopefully this gets Speedy to leave. If he keeps gawking at her like she's some kind of oddity, the girl is certain that she won't be able to quench her temper for much longer.

Pasting on a bright and happy smile, she says to the remainder of the crowd, "Okay. That's it for tonight, everyone. Remember that  _'Lola's Café'_  has live music on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Marissa sings from five to seven, Rick sings from seven to nine, and I sing from nine to eleven-thirty. Tell your friends and don't be afraid to come on back." Pausing, Damiana shifts her gaze to the room's lone Titans before continuing. "Right now, however, it is time to go home. Leave this place, go far away from here, and forget I exist. I am a simple girl doing nothing more than trying to live life, so it would do you well to erase me from your memory and leave me alone. There is absolutely  _nothing_ of significance about me."

Damiana doesn't notice, but those left in the room turn to stare at her. Even those who were already leaving pause in order to look at her in puzzlement. However, when they see her gaze locked onto Speedy of the Titans East they instantly know that this has something to do with him. Shrugging and exchanging glances, the people begin leaving in droves. Soon enough Damiana, Speedy, and a few waitresses are the only ones left. By this time Damiana is no longer looking at the archer. Instead she is squatted down next to her guitar case counting the money that was thrown in. Meanwhile, she speaks.

"Apparently you didn't catch the meaning behind my message. Get out of here and leave me alone. I'm not worth your time, and you certainly aren't worth any of mine."

Damiana doesn't look at him, but she can tell that he doesn't go away. Several seconds pass and eventually she hears the sound of a chair scraping against tile. Masculine footsteps follow shortly after, but they don't go toward the exit. Instead they slowly make their way across the three-foot gap between the wooden platform and the first row of tables. Damiana can see a red shirt and red fingerless gloves in her peripheral vision, but she still ignores him. At least until he replies to her comment, anyway.

"You don't need to be so hostile. I'm here as a Titan, not as a fan boy asking you on a date."

As much as the girl wants to face the archer and give him the death glare, she doesn't. Damiana keeps her attention on the dollars and loose change in her guitar case, not showing the slightest hint of looking in his direction. Once Damiana looks at him she's certain that she won't be able to look away. It will lead to shouting all of her angry thoughts at him and maybe even shooting streams of fire at his smug little face; one glance is all it would take. Titan or not, Speedy is nothing but an arrogant playboy who has spent too much time fixing his hair and playing with gold-digging fangirls. Even without looking at him, the temptation to use her fire on Speedy at such a close range is almost too great to resist. Even so, Damiana still manages to control herself as she replies to his statement.

"To be honest, Speedy, I don't care if you're here as a Titan, a pimp, or as the café's newest Music Night fan. All I want is for you to get out of here. The café closes in less than five minutes, so there's no time for us to talk either way."

One thing Damiana instantly takes note of is the seriousness in Speedy's voice. He's seemed pretty somber for the hour he's spent at the café and his voice was fairly stiff a moment ago as well. This time, however, the serious tone his voice gives off is at a whole other level. It actually causes Damiana to observe him more closely out of the corner of her eye in a curious yet suspicious manner.

"It doesn't matter if the café stays open. We can talk outside if we need to. All that matters is that I get a chance to talk to you. I picked up a tip about you earlier and I want to check into it."

That last sentence causes Damiana to forget all of her previous thoughts. Brows arched in surprise, the girl turns in the Titan's direction. Even if he sounds completely serious she is able to tell that this is the same Speedy the moment she lays eyes on him. He may not wear his typical smug smirk, but he does lean against the platform's edge with his arms crossed in a leisurely fashion. When he sees that she finally turned around, however, Speedy's smirk hints at the corners of his lips ever so slightly. Ignoring this, Damiana makes a surprised inquiry.

"What the heck are you talking about? I'm a sixteen-year-old girl who sings at a café and does mundane tasks for low pay. What kind of  _'tip'_  could someone honestly give you about me?"

Speedy responds with a shrug. "Exactly that, actually. You're a girl without a family who does various jobs to support herself. The jobs you do are all over the city, so you know Steel City's streets better than any other resident."

Before Damiana realizes what she's doing she finds herself closing the distance between herself and the redheaded superhero. Crawling across the platform on her hands and knees from where she sat beside her guitar case, the Dabnodian flips herself around so that she sitting on the platform's edge. Her legs dangling over the side, the girl doesn't care that she's only a half foot away from him. Neither does she care when Speedy pushes himself up so that he too is sitting on the platform. The only thing Damiana cares about is figuring out what on Earth Speedy is getting at.

"Yeah… I guess you could say that I know Steel City quite well, but I have no idea what that has to do with anything. The only reason I've memorized the city's streets at all is so I can find jobs and earn money for life's basic necessities. If you Titans need someone who knows the streets well, go to the Police or get a super computer or something. No offense, but you're really wasting your time on me."

It is here that Speedy's trademark smirk returns. To Damiana's puzzlement, it seems much less arrogant and much more knowing. It's almost as if he knows something that she doesn't quite get yet.

"Believe me, Leila. If I thought this was a waste of time I never would have approached you in the first place. The Titans East do have access to the city's police force and to advanced tracking technology, but that's not what we need to catch the criminal we're after. What we need is someone who nobody's going to look at twice, someone who's sharp, and someone who knows Steel City's streets so well that they can draw a map of them blindfolded." After a momentary pause Speedy adds, "It's true that I don't know a lot about you, but I have a feeling that you're capable of doing all three."

Running a hand over her brown locks, Damiana can't help but give a laugh of disbelief. "You, the previous sidekick of Green Arrow and a member of the Titans East, would honestly put this kind of trust in a person you didn't know existed until four hours ago?! For crying out loud, Speedy! I'm a bum that has to walk dogs, clean houses, and sing in a café just to scrape by! Those girls you were with earlier, they call me a hobo on a regular basis! You say that I seem sharp, but I could be a blithering idiot for all you know! Heck, with the side of town I live on I could be a hardened criminal!" Giving another laugh, this time a sarcastic one, the girl adds, "You're not seriously asking for my help right now, are you? You actually are just  _'checking out the lead'_ , right?"

Damiana hasn't the slightest idea why, but Speedy's smile grows at her words. Not only does his smile still appear knowing, but now he also looks very pleased. If Damiana didn't know any better she would say that it almost seems like he was hoping that she would spurt something off like that. Shoving a piece of hair behind her ear, the girl narrows false green eyes at him curiously. It only takes a few seconds for him to respond.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to ask for your help or not, but now I think I should. You seem like the perfect person to help search for this guy."

All traces of laughter vanishing, Damiana gapes at the archer in shock. "I seem like the right person to help you search for a dangerous bank robber? What could possibly make you believe that?"

"Nothing much. Just the way you talk to me and your personality. You seem like the kind of person that Bumblebee and Aqualad would like for this sort of thing." A moment later he adds, "By the way, you won't even have to come into contact with the criminal. All I'm really asking you to do is keep an eye out for anything suspicious. An average person hitting it rich out of nowhere, people leaving their houses at times that correspond with the robberies, abandoned buildings that have people coming and going, things like that. You helping the Titans East wouldn't be anything big. In reality you'd just be going about your day."

Damiana purses her lips thoughtfully at the Titan's explanation. For the first time tonight she doesn't want to shout, neither does she want to punch him or burn him with fire. Her mind going back to the newscast from earlier tonight, Damiana realizes that even if he is playboy Speedy is genuinely asking her for help. Truth be told, he did seem pretty upset when he was talking to the anchorwoman in the red dress earlier.

All Speedy and the Titans East want are to catch this irritating masked criminal. Not just them, but the whole city wants this guy caught. The civilians are getting so nervous that they want the Titans East to call the Titans West for help. Nibbling her lower lip, Damiana also remembers how badly Speedy and the Titans East want to do this on their own. They no longer want to come in second place to the founding Titans. Even though Damiana doesn't like to admit it, she doesn't want them to come in second place either. Just because they aren't the original Titans, why should they be considered less reliable as heroes? Not only that, but why should Damiana stand in their way by refusing to help them…

Annoyed by all of these new thoughts she's experiencing, Damiana gives an irritated sigh. If there's one problem she's always possessed, it's that she has never been able to say no to someone that honestly seems like they need her. Not even arrogant pimps like Speedy. Crossing her arms, she shoots the young hero an annoyed scowl.

"I really don't have to go too out of my way here? I don't have to sneak around and I don't have to ask people if they've heard anything? All I have to do is observe?"

Speedy gives a nod. "Basically." After a short pause, he asks, "So is that a yes?"

Damiana gives another sigh. "Yeah, it is. I guess I'll help you Titans out. Just don't expect me to go out on a limb. Remember that I have jobs to do and rent to pay, so I can only do so much."

Speedy nods once more. "That's understood."

Silence takes over once the words are spoken. Even so, the lapse in dialogue isn't wasted for Speedy. Reaching into his back pocket, he retrieves his wallet and pulls out a blank piece of paper from within. Damiana has no idea where he pulled it from, but there is a pen in his hand as well. Resting the slip of paper on his knee, he scribbles something out across the milky white surface. More than anything Damiana would like to lean in and see what he's writing, but instantly decides against it. The last thing she wants is to appear too curious. Of course, it doesn't take long for Damiana to figure out what he wrote anyway. A few seconds later Speedy hands her the slip with a smile. Surprisingly, this smile is different from the others she's seen. If anything it almost looks appreciative.

_"Wow. A sign of gratitude. The pimp truly is capable of deflating his ego by a few notches,"_  says the Dabnodian inside her head.

Damiana takes the slip of paper and looks at it without returning his smile. Scrawled across it is a phone number containing several extra digits. Above the numbers is a single sentence written in slightly messy, but otherwise decipherable handwriting. The sentence is a bit odd, but it makes sense nonetheless:  _"When there's trouble, you know who to call"_. Tucking the phone number in her jeans pocket, Damiana looks up at Speedy expectantly. Upon catching her gaze, Speedy explains without missing a beat.

"If you run across anything, call that number. It's the Titans East Tower's special extension that barely anybody knows, so there should only be one Leila that calls it if something comes up."

Damiana gives a nod of comprehension. "Okay. I'll do my best to keep it safe."

Once that is said, there is really nothing left for the two to cover. Knowing what she's supposed to do if she spots anything suspicious, Damiana stands up and goes back over to her guitar case. She doesn't plan on counting the money right now. Instead she's decided to shove all of the money inside one of the case's zip-up pockets, head home, and count her meager earnings there. The sooner she can get away from Speedy the better. Even if she's decided to help out the Titans East, that doesn't mean that she's about to get all chummy with the overconfident redhead. Really, she wants to stay away from him at all costs.

So distracted is Damiana by her task of shoving coins and bills inside of the secret pocket that she doesn't sense the gloved arm that reaches for the guitar case's opposite end. Later after returning to her motel room the Dabnodian girl is practically shocked out of her mind. In the seven months that she's worked as a singer at  _"Lola's Café"_ she has never seen a twenty-dollar bill; let alone two twenty dollar bills in the same night. Even so, Damiana manages to ignore them and puts them in a special hiding place with the rest of her earnings. The last thing she needs is to have them in sight. If she can see them, the only thing she'll think about is the person who she knows shoved them inside her guitar case at the last minute.

* * *

It is twenty minutes after midnight by the time Speedy returns to the Tower. When he learns the time it isn't because he looks at a clock, or because of natural intuition. Instead it is an angrily shouting female that tells him.

"Speedy, where have you been?! It's twelve-twenty in the morning! You should have been back here hours ago!"

The young archer barely has time to set his bow down on the kitchen counter before the Titans East's excessively livid leader is hovering directly in front of him. He doesn't have time to spot Mas y Menos who are passed out on the sofa, neither does he notice Aqualad's absence. He's far too busy concentrating on the narrowed brown eyes that glare at him threateningly. Opening his mouth partway, Speedy is ready to explain to Bumblebee exactly where he's been. Or, exactly where he's been minus blue mini dress girl and her posse… There's really no reason for Bee to know that part, right? All that really matters are the facts about Leila.

Unfortunately for Speedy, however, the chance to cover his tracks is cut short. Not even ten seconds later, the common room doors fly open from behind them. When Bee and Speedy turn around the two Titans gape at the figure standing in the doorway in shock. The person is none other than Aqualad. With his unitard practically torn to shreds, his long black hair in complete disarray, and scratches covering his face, arms, and the revealed parts of his chest, the aquatic man is nearly unrecognizable. The crumpled up bag of fish tacos he holds in his hand makes him more unrecognizable still. Upon seeing the injured fish boy, the first thing Bumblebee does is gasp and rush over to him. Knowing exactly how this happened and predicting that his life may soon be in danger, Speedy decides to stay where he is. Even so, he can't stop himself from giving an amused smirk.

_"Geesh,"_  says the archer to himself.  _"Mini dress girl and her friends really did a number on him. Aqualad's fangirls are more dangerous than I thought."_

Completely oblivious to Speedy's role in Aqualad's misfortune, Bumblebee voices her concern. "Aqualad, are you okay?! What happened to you?! Did you run into our bank robber?!"

To Bumblebee's surprise, Aqualad doesn't respond to the Titan leader. Instead he stomps past her with his eyes firmly locked on the redhead. In reality, Speedy should be scared out of his wits. Yet, he finds himself leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed in a relaxed manner. Aqualad continues marching toward him, giving his teammate the nastiest scowl he can muster. Speedy's trademark smirk doesn't leave his face the whole time. When the aquatic man speaks the facial expression only grows.

"I hate you," Aqualad says irately. He points a finger at Speedy and tosses the empty fish taco bag in his face before continuing. "I hate you! I hate you! I HATE you! Why would you do that to me?! Do you know that tonight has been the worst night of my life because of you?!"

Tossing the fast food bag on the counter behind him, Speedy quips, "I know that now. But hey, don't judge me. I was just doing a favor for some friends."

If Speedy didn't know any better, he would say that he just saw Aqualad twitch. "Friends?!" he exclaims. "You call them  _'friends'_?! They were a group of random fangirls you met at a café while you were eating pie! You probably don't even know their names!"

Shrugging, Speedy pulls a comb out of his pocket and begins combing his hair for no reason at all. "Yeah, but I don't need their names. Blue mini dress girl, black miniskirt girl, and the platinum blonde in the pink half-shirt is all I need to know."

Bumblebee looks from Speedy to Aqualad and back again. A moment is all it takes for her to turn another sharp glare on the archer.

"Hold on," asks Bee as she marches in his direction. "The reason you're back so late and the reason Aqualad looks like he got mauled by bears is because you decided to lounge around in a café eating pie with girls all evening?! You were supposed to be searching your part of the city!"

Speedy returns her glare as he works to defend himself. "Hey, I finished searching my part of the city! I just took a couple breaks!" Pausing slightly, he adds, "Also, I was the one eating pie, not the girls. One bite of that pie and that girl's blue dress would've split right in half!"

For whatever reason, Aqualad's eyes begin tearing up at that last sentence. "Not true. Brittney can eat a lot. She ate six fish tacos, and then she went and bought more!" Collapsing to the ground, he sobs bitterly as he continues. "Then she took all of us for a ride on her father's yacht and we went fishing! She caught so many fish!"

Aqualad, who was standing on two legs only three seconds ago, is now in fetal position on the tiled kitchen floor. Concerned about her teammate, Bumblebee squats down beside him and rests a hand on his back. Meanwhile, Speedy raises a forefinger to his chin in thought.

"So her name is  _'Brittney'_. That honestly doesn't shock me. She kind of reminded me of Brittney Spears." Eyes widening in surprise beneath his mask, he adds, "Wait just a second. The blue dress girl with the supermodel figure can put down six fish tacos at once?!"

Raising his head slightly, Aqualad says, "Do you want to know the worst part about my night? A mob of fangirls was capable of taking me down while I was surrounded  ** _by water_**! The only thing worse is that fish tacos are delicious!"

With that being said the broken teen returns to his sobbing, leaving Speedy and Bumblebee in silence. With the forceful glare that Bumblebee shoots his way, it's rather intense silence at that. Giving his back several comforting pats, the Titan leader stands and moves several paces closer to the perpetrator. By now Speedy's amusement has died down and he is beginning to feel genuinely nervous. Even so, he doesn't let it show. Instead he crosses his arms and returns her look with equal intensity.

"You know, for someone who doesn't want to come in second place to the Titans West, you do a pretty good job of slacking off when it's convenient for you. All it takes to distract you is food, music, and a group of slutty girls." After a moment of hesitation, she adds, "Don't get me wrong, Speedy. There are times when the Titans East would have been sunk without you, but sometimes I wonder why we even let you stay on the team. We're trying to track down a criminal that could be a danger to the city! Why on Earth would you decided to take a pie break?!"

Not knowing what to say or what to do, Speedy decides to get straight to the point. "Listen, Bee. I train hard and usually never slack off. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have stayed at the café for longer than a half hour. You have to give me credit for that much."

Sighing, the woman slaps an irritated palm to her forehead. "Fine. Most of the time, you're a reliable member of the Titans East. I don't know see what that has to do with right now, though."

"It has more to do with right now than you think," confesses Speedy. "I wasn't sitting in that café for hours on end to slack off and flirt with girls. The whole reason I was there toward the end was actually because I wanted to talk someone."

Irritation never leaving, Bumblebee rolls her eyes at the boy. "Let me guess. Another girl?"

"Yes, but this girl's different. She isn't anything like Brittney and she definitely is  ** _not_**  a fangirl. I talked to her after the café started clearing out, and I think that she could help us hunt down our bank robber." A few seconds later he adds, "Her name is Leila."


	4. Part I: Inception: Chapter Four

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. I only own the Dabnodians and my other OCs._

* * *

**Part I:** ****Inception:** ** **Chapter Four**

The Next Day

The sky has been gray all day. From her job walking an elderly lady's dogs at seven-thirty in the morning to her babysitting job from six pm to eleven pm, the sky has been filled with ominous clouds. Even now as Damiana takes a shortcut through a dark alleyway at fifteen minutes to midnight, the weather is as cold and gusty as ever. Of course, the chilly midnight breeze and the clouds that block out the moon don't bother Damiana too much. Shivering slightly against the cool air, the girl pulls the drawstrings of her hood tighter and tucks her bony hands inside of her jeans pockets.

"Why is it so cold?" She complains under her breath. "It's late March. It should be getting warmer by now."

Knowing that her question really doesn't have an answer and not truly caring either way, the sixteen-year-old pushes onward. Her motel room is only twenty minutes away. With this shortcut she should be sleeping soundly in her room with the door bolted shut in no time. Getting closer to the end of the alleyway with each step, the girl gives a smile of relief. A good night's rest is exactly what she needs; especially after what happened at the café last night. If the previous night's insomnia didn't help her forget, then maybe being dead to the world for eight straight hours will do the trick. The thought of Titan Speedy entering her mind once more, Damiana's smile shifts to a frown. When her fingers brush against the slip of paper that hasn't left her pocket the frown deepens.

To be honest, Damiana wishes that her job at  _"Lola's Café"_  never would have happened. If she hadn't started singing at the café in the first place then she wouldn't have been there when Speedy stumbled in last night. Had she not been there, then he never would have asked for her help. If he hadn't asked her for help, or if they'd never met at all, Damiana is certain that she would be feeling much more confident about life right now. She knew from the start that living in the same city as the Titans East was a bad idea. If only curiosity hadn't gotten the best of her, and if only she'd listed to her brain rather than her instincts.

_"Don't worry, Damiana. Steel City is huge,"_  she'd told herself nine months ago on the bus to the city.  _"Even if you do live there, what will be the odds of you personally meeting one of the Titans?"_

This argument, which seemed so reasonable at the time, has now come back to haunt Damiana. She had a gut feeling that she'd come into contact with the Titans at some point if she were to settle in one of their cities. She has no idea how she knew this would happen neither can she give a logical reason as to why she came to Steel City. All she knows is that she felt Steel City calling to her, she obeyed the call, and somehow she ended up running into one of the Titans. It's exactly what she thought might happen, but tried so hard to deny.

Sighing, Damiana exits the alleyway and begins walking down a deserted road scattered with abandon buildings. If she could she would pack her bags, leave Steel City behind, and forget that it even exists. With the Titans East occupying the area and with her  _"special"_  background, she never should have come here. Damiana is not of this Earth. She is an alien with fire powers from the planet Dabnod. And even though this is the Titans East and not the Titans West, they're in league with Princess Starfire of Tamaran. It's hard enough hiding herself while keeping everyone on this planet at a distance. How much harder will it be if she gets close to the Titans?

It's bluntly obvious that each and every one of them is sharp. Even if they weren't, her hair dye is going to wear off at some point and her brightly-colored tresses are going to start peeking through the brown. There's also the fact that one of them could spot her without her contact lenses. Honestly, having them find out that she even wears colored contacts could be dangerous! If they find out about these things and if they put their heads together, they could easily figure out that she's a survivor from Dabnod. As soon as they'd figure that out they'd learn about the war with Tamaran too, and the news might get back to Starfire. If the Tamaraneans found out that there are Dabnodian survivors spread out all over the galaxy what might they do? Or, worse yet, what might she do to Starfire if they met? Would the temptation to try killing her be too great?

Hugging herself tightly, Damiana releases a shudder. For the first time since stepping outside her shivers don't come from the cold. A flurry of confused and frightened emotions flowing through her veins, the girl whispers aloud in Dabnodian.

"Well, Damiana, you have to live with your stupidity now. You came to this city knowing something like this might happen, it did happen, and now you're going to have to follow through on your agreement with Speedy."

With that being said the girl continues walking, eager to get back to her motel room and drown her concerns in marvelous slumber. Before she can, however, a large raindrop lands directly on the tip of her nose. First it's one, then it's ten, and after that it's fifty. Knowing that it's about to downpour, Damiana sprints down the street in attempt to escape the coming storm. Of course, it isn't any use. Less than a minute later the rain is falling so heavily that she can barely see three feet in front of her. Damiana pushes her way through the precipitation for several minutes, but eventually she gives up. Feeling soaked to the bone, tired, and half frozen, the girl finally settles on taking shelter in one of this street's abandoned buildings. It may not be her motel room, but it's dark, musty, and she's all by herself. So in a way the old building and her motel room aren't too different.

* * *

The building she's in isn't large, but it isn't small either. Damiana's best guess is that this dark, dusty, structure used to be an office complex of some sort. Of course, based on the broken windows that are covered in grime, the cob webs hanging from the ceilings, and the dust that coats the few pieces of remaining furniture, the once attractive building is nothing of the sort anymore. Then again, it doesn't truly matter whether this place is nice or not. There's a roof, the roof doesn't have any holes, and it's keeping Damiana dry. After spending twenty minutes drying off by breathing fire over her soaking wet body, the last thing she wants is to get wet again.

Happy that she is dry and no longer freezing to death, Damiana snuggles more deeply into her over-sized black sweatshirt. More than anything she wants to get back to her motel room where her bed is at. Not necessarily because she's tired, but because under the covers is a place where the lightning and thunder doesn't seem so frightening. Not only that, but the shadows in her motel room aren't nearly as creepy. Sure there could be rats or roaches in those shadows, but the shadows here could contain people. They could contain murders, gangsters, or rapists. A moment later, however, Damiana chuckles at the thought. Why she's so afraid she has no idea. The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that these are exactly the kind of people that rent out the motel rooms around her.

_"Geesh, Damiana, don't get so freaked out,"_  says the girl internally.  _"The only things in here are spiders, and if there really is something dangerous you have your fire. You're not a helpless little girl."_

Damiana gives another chuckle, remembering how she wasn't helpless even when she was a little girl. How old was she when her father and Aunt Faela taught her to use her fire, four or five? By reading books and getting advice from some of Saeran's squire friends, Damiana's certain that she was at Master's level by the age of ten. In all her life, the word  _"helpless"_ has never described her.

Scoffing at herself, the girl speaks aloud. "Look at me, cowering in fear over shadows and lightning. How pathetic. Mama and Saeran would be embarrassed to know me."

Straightening her posture, Damiana turns away from the cracked window she's facing. The room behind her is pitch black, the enclosure's single desk is tipped oddly on its side, and the door against the back wall is coming off of its hinges. Yet, it doesn't seem nearly as frightening as before. Knowing that the rain most likely won't let up for a while and not wanting to stare outside in boredom the whole time, Damiana walks deeper into the room. She highly doubts that there's anything interesting in here, but she's decided to look around anyway. Even if she finds nothing, it has to be better than staring out the broken windows at the downpour.

Hood up and arms folded over her chest, the girl crosses the floor silently. She doesn't even bother taking in the area around her. With only cobwebs and the single desk to look at, there's no reason for her to stay here. It is because of this that she goes through the broken door at the back of the room without a second thought. For a moment Damiana wonders if it could be a supply closet or a back room that she's entering. After igniting a small flame in the palm of her hand and looking around, however, she realizes that the assumption was false. The door is actually an exit that leads to a long narrow hallway. Looking to her left, Damiana instantly notices that in that direction is a dead end. Therefore, she turns to the right and begins journeying that way.

As she goes down the hallway Damiana comes across several more doors. Much to her disappointment, they lead to nothing more than supply closets, bathrooms, and dusty rooms containing dismantled desks and broken chairs. Every few minutes the girl finds a window and peeks outside to see if the rain is letting up, but much like with the rooms she's entered, she's disappointed every time. Whenever she looks outdoors it's raining just as hard as it was earlier. It's almost as if the clouds are conspiring with each other to flood Steel City. This is where she stands now is in front of another window, feeling entirely dismayed.

"Well, this really stinks," whispers Damiana as she watches rain streak down the glass in a puddle of firelight. "At this rate, I'm going to be stuck here all night."

Sighing sadly, the girl turns away from the window and exits this room like all the others. Once in the hallway Damiana extinguishes the dancing flames in her palm. After walking down so many hallways for such a lengthy amount of time her eyes must have adjusted to the darkness at some point. Her vision isn't nearly as sharp in the darkness as it is in the daylight, but she can still make out shapes and objects nonetheless. Twirling a dyed brown strand around an index finger, an unbreakable habit of boredom, the girl comes to the end of the hallway and makes a random turn.

By now she isn't paying any attention to where she's going neither is she walking inside any more doors. The only thing she does is purposelessly wander the deserted hallways. Damiana would have looked for a window in order to peek outside again, but it isn't any use. Apparently it has started pouring double-time, because the sound of rain echoing against the roof can be heard loud and clear. In fact, this is part of the reason she doesn't go inside any more rooms or look for any more windows. Damiana has a feeling that if she looks at it outside right now it will only make her depressed. Having no idea what to do for the moment, the girl releases an aggravated sigh.

"It's a good thing that my jobs start at ten tomorrow instead of at seven. With as late as I'm going to be getting back, there's no way I'd be able to wake up that early."

Several more minutes pass and Damiana makes numerous turns, the whole time wondering how much longer she's going to be stuck here. However, it's only as she makes one final turn that the alien spots something incredibly surprising. Upon exiting this hallway she doesn't enter into another corridor, but instead stumbles across a large main room. Like every other room in this place, there isn't much of anything in the way of furniture. There are only a few scant chairs shoved haphazardly against the walls, a table containing some torn magazines, and a receptionist desk placed at the room's center. Of course, it isn't the area's decor that surprises Damiana. What truly catches her off guard is the duo of men that stand congregated near the receptionist desk.

From what Damiana can see, the two vary greatly in build. One is tall and scrawny while the other is short with an incredibly muscular build. Their costumes, however, don't differ in the slightest. Each man wears a solid black unitard with a dark blue stripe running down the middle. If the suits didn't seem familiar enough on their own, then the black and blue masks they wear make them even more recognizable. Damiana may have never seen them in person, but as an avid viewer of the evening news she is completely able to guess who it is they work with. The only thing she can't believe is that she'd run into them here of all places; and at one o'clock in the morning during a storm no less.

Then again, this shouldn't surprise her too much. The only home she's ever known exploded into tiny pieces of intergalactic dust. She had to wander around homeless for years on an alien planet. She met one of the Titans like she'd partially expected, but got stuck with the arrogant playboy archer instead of Aqualad or Bumblebee. Really, Damiana is starting to believe that rotten luck is a part of her unchangeable fate. The fact that she managed to pick the abandon building with the criminals out of all the other abandon buildings on the block only helps reinforce this.

Not wanting to go further into the room for fear of being seen, but also not wanting to go back down the hallway for fear of making noise, the alien decides to stay where she's at. Making sure her face is concealed by the thick black hood, Damiana crouches down so that she's out of sight. Though she can't make them out too clearly from her current position behind the hall's corner, she is able to see their outlines just enough to tell where they're at. As strange as it is, Damiana isn't thinking about getting out of here alive as much as reporting this to Speedy and the Titans East. Really, she has no idea why her brain is working like this. She knows she should stay away from the Titans. She knows that she can hardly stand the sight of Speedy. Yet, there's this itching need to get whatever valuable information she's about to learn to the Titans East all the same.

Their voices echo clearly through the nearly empty room. Damiana listens carefully without making a sound the entire time. Although, she's certain that both of her hearts can be heard rapidly beating in sync as she tries to quench her apprehension.

"What do you mean there still isn't enough money?! You've robbed half the banks and jewelry stores in Steel City!" exclaims the short one.

The tall one crosses his arms, clearly irritated with his companion. "Don't be such a nag. I'm doing the best I can. The parts to the boss' new invention aren't cheap, you know. Heck, I could rob the National Treasury and still be a few bucks short with how expensive this thing is going to be!"

Sighing, the short man points an accusatory finger in his direction. "Stop making excuses! You know the boss needs the proper resources to start working on his machine this month! At the rate you're going, he's going to be approximately five months behind schedule!"

Though he still appears annoyed, the tall man gives a nonchalant shrug. "So what if we get behind schedule? Big deal. It's not like the Titans are going anywhere anytime soon. It could take us the next three years to make this machine and they'll probably still be right where they are. We have plenty of time to destroy them."

His little companion gives a sarcastic laugh. "Try telling the boss that. I'm sure he'll use some of the money you stole to pay for a nice tropical vacation somewhere. He might even put off his plans for the next six months. Who knows? He might take us with him."

The tall one doesn't remove his mask, but Damiana is certain by the tone of his voice that he's rolling his eyes. "Don't get like this. You know I'm working hard to get the money he needs. It's just, with the Titans East and Steel City's police force, I have to use some caution. Any day now I'm afraid that the Titans East are going to find a way to capture me. They're smarter than people give them credit for."

Damiana can't help but feel shocked at the criminal's words _. "The evil robber has more faith in the Titans East than Steel City's beloved citizens. Unbelievable."_

Meanwhile, the other man replies almost mockingly. "Oh, so is that why you decided not to make another robbery today? You're scared of pigtail girl, fish boy, the tiny twins, and the powerless brat with the arrows?"

"Yes, and I have plenty of reason to be," the taller of the two replies bluntly. "They're very capable superheroes. Whether they call on the Titans West or not, I believe that they could easily stop the boss' plan if they make the right moves."

The short man gives another laugh. "You honestly think that they could defeat us with the technology in these masks? No offense, but you're overestimating them. Where Slade and The Brotherhood of Evil failed, we will succeed. Not only that, but if we play our cards right we can do it much more secretively and with less force."

The tall man gives a sigh of defeat. "Fine. You win. Believe whatever you want." After a moment of hesitation he adds, "Well, we should get moving. We need to find that secret underground room in the west corridor and make sure everything is still there. With the amount of thugs in this city, I wouldn't be surprised if someone stumbled across it and stole half of our loot by now."

His companion gives a nod of agreement. "You're right. We need to get this done with. I almost forgot that I have work in the morning."

With that being said, the duo turns away from the receptionist desk and saunters in the direction of the back hallway. Or more specifically, they go toward  _Damiana's_  hallway. If her hearts weren't beating fast before, then they certainly are now. Damiana doesn't even hear what they're saying anymore. All her hearing picks up is the pounding of rain on the roof, the rapid thudding of her hearts beating in sync, and the sound of loud male footsteps. Praying to any random deity that might be listening, the girl rapidly searches her brain for a way to get out of this unscathed.

Should she leap to her feet and run past them out the front doors? Should she run back into the labyrinth of hallways and hide in one of the rooms? Or maybe she should try staying put in hope that they won't notice her. Even if they do notice her she could pretend to be asleep. They might think she's a homeless person escaping the rain and leave her alone. Or better yet, they might think she's dead. A few months ago when Damiana was homeless for real, she fell asleep on a park bench; a jogger saw her and thought she was dead because she looked so frail and sickly, so that might actually work… Luckily, just when Damiana is about to play dead, that is when an idea strikes her. The idea is a bit risky, but it will probably work all the same. Praying again to the unknown deity, the alien decides to go for it.

Holding both arms out in front of her, Damiana focuses intently on the floor directly in front of the corridor. With the room's lack of light and with how fast she has to accomplish this, she hopes that her aim will be precise. If she misses not only could they see her, but they could see her bright Dabnodian hair and colorful Dabnodian eyes. With the intensity of this move there's no doubt that her hair is going to set on fire and that her eyes are going to light up like embers, thus, ridding her of the hair dye and contact lenses. She's learned very quickly during her time on Earth that hair dye and contact lenses never hold up if she uses Master level techniques… Not to mention that it's been five years since last performing this technique and that she's probably rusty. That doesn't add to her confidence any either…

Damiana bites down on her lower lip, the footsteps now being only five feet away from the end of the corridor. Checking to see that her aim is right one final time, the girl takes a deep breath and activates her fire. Less than a second later a burning orange wall appears in front of the hall's entrance. It reaches from wall to wall and from the ceiling to the ground, making getting around it impossible. Three seconds later more walls appear. Damiana can't see them, but she's well aware that they're encasing the entire main room from the walls to the ceiling. The only part the fire isn't coating is the floor. Considering how Damiana's fire is meant to trap rather than harm, it's not going to move to the floor either. However, based on the screams of the men from the wall's other side, they're completely unaware of that insignificant detail.

"Ah! Holy Batman! We're going to die! Help me, Mommy!"

"No! Please! I'm not ready to die yet! Whatever ghost that's in here, please don't hurt me!"

Damiana doesn't waste a single moment. Knowing that her fire wall won't stay up for any longer than five minutes, she sprints down the hallway with long tresses set aflame. Because of the extreme amount of energy she released while using her fire, she's running much faster than usual. Before Damiana knows it she is inside one of the building's remote rooms, crawling out a broken window, and running down the street. She doesn't even care that she can't see due to the intense rainstorm. All that matters is getting away from the building as quickly as possible. Of course, despite her escape, Damiana doesn't plan on returning to her motel room. Not yet. There is something incredibly important the alien has to do before re-dying her hair and going to sleep.

* * *

According to the digital clock that's connected to the Tower's main console, the time is exactly one twenty-seven AM. The rest of the Tower is asleep, Bumblebee in her room, Mas y Menos in their shared room, and Aqualad in his pool of water. Speedy was trying to sleep, but for some reason he simply couldn't. He lay awake in his bed for two hours before finally giving up and trekking through the dark corridors to the common room. The seventeen-year-old archer is currently sprawled out on the sofa staring out the massive windows watching as rain mercilessly pelts the glass. For twenty minutes he's been sitting here doing nothing but watching the rain, the only thing lighting the room being the glow of the digital clock and the console's buttons.

Several minutes pass and eventually Speedy becomes bored with his spot on the sofa. Shirtless and barefoot, wearing nothing but his mask and red pants, he aimlessly gets to his feet. Once he's standing Speedy saunters over to the windows and gazes outside. All he does is stare blankly at the downpour exactly like he's been doing for the past half hour. Running a hand over his head of neat red hair, the archer releases a lengthy sigh.

"I feel bad for the person who's outside in this. Hopefully they find somewhere dry," he says to the empty space around him.

Speedy has no idea how he misses the splash of someone emerging from the pool surrounding the common room. Neither can he guess how the footsteps approaching him from behind pass him by. All Speedy knows is that when he hears someone speak he is surprised that he's no longer alone.

"It's one thirty in the morning. Nobody should be outside; especially not during a rainstorm."

Jumping slightly, Speedy turns around halfway. Approximately three feet behind him, eyeing him in a fashion that is both curious and fatigued, is none other than Aqualad. Upon spotting him the archer gives a small frown and turns back around to face the windows.

"Go back to sleep. All I'm doing is thinking. Don't let me keep you awake."

As tired as the Atlantian seems, Speedy partially expects Aqualad to take his suggestion and return to his slumber. However, instead of leaving the common room he paces over to stand beside the redhead. A few seconds later he speaks once more.

"You do know that she isn't going to help us, right? Based on your story and on what Brittney told me, Leila doesn't seem to like you."

It takes a moment, but eventually Speedy replies. "True. Leila doesn't like me. In fact, I'm probably her least favorite member of the Titans East." Pausing, he adds, "But even if she doesn't like me, that doesn't mean she has something against the team as a whole. She doesn't seem like the type to hold that kind of a grudge. Leila  _will_  help us. I'm sure of it."

Speedy doesn't look at his teammate, yet he can still tell that Aqualad doesn't believe a word he's saying. Sadly, this doesn't surprise him any. It was actually about this time last night when he told the rest of the Titans what he knows about Leila and about everything that happened at the café. By that, it means that he told them  _"everything"_ everything _._ He didn't leave out a single detail. By the time he was done Bee was staring at him in disbelief, Aqualad appeared skeptical, and Mas y Menos just seemed surprised.

While giving Speedy feedback, they admitted that they thought he was right. After hearing what he shared about Leila, it sounded like she could've been a marvelous asset to the Titans East. Yet, at the same time, it couldn't have been plainer that they also believed that Leila would never help them in a million years. Due to the fact that she is very independent, not to mention that she called Speedy a pimp during their conversation, it didn't seem like the girl would be too willing to help them. Even so, this problem hasn't bothered the Titans too much. If they can't get help from the source Speedy found, then they will find another way to capture the villain. Or at least that's the way Bumblebee put it, anyway.

Of course, Speedy doesn't want to find another way to capture the villain. He can't put his finger on it, but something about Leila is very different from the other civilians he's met. It isn't just her singing voice or the blunt way she speaks to him, either. There's something else. It's most likely something that nobody else but Leila knows about. Whatever that something is, it somehow separates her from other humans. If only Aqualad, or Bee, or Mas y Menos could have met her, then maybe they would understand why he's so determined to get Leila on their side. She could be an irreplaceable asset.

At last Aqualad speaks, breaking Speedy away from his thoughts.

"What makes you so sure that Leila's going to help us?" asks the aquatic man skeptically. "She might not find anything. Even if she does, do you honestly think that she'll let us know? Be honest with yourself, Speedy. You barely know her."

Speedy furrows his brow in uncertainty as he replies. "This might sound weird, but I don't need to know her. Leila's different. I don't know what it is that makes her different, but there's definitely something there. Trust me. If you meet her you'll see what I mean."

He still doesn't look at his teammate. The archer stays glued to his spot in front of the windows, staring outside without emotion. It takes a moment, but at last Aqualad manages a response. Upon speaking he sounds more curious and more skeptical than ever before.

"What exactly do you mean by  _'different'_? Are you saying that she has powers, or a high level of intelligence, or is this some kind of love at first sight thing?"

Surprised by that last part, Speedy burst into chuckles. For the first time since entering the room he actually turns toward the aquatic man.

"Love at first sight?! Are you kidding me?! Leila hates my guts, and quite frankly, I don't think that I'm too fond of her either. When I say that something's different about her, I mean that she might have qualities that could be helpful to the Titans East." Pausing, he adds, "There's something about her that separates her from the rest of us; like a higher level of intelligence, or the way she carries herself, or something. It's hard to put into words."

A moment later Speedy's comment earns a response. However, the response doesn't come from Aqualad. It comes from one of the three people that entered in through the common room doors less than two seconds ago.

"Maybe it'd be easier to put into words if you'd just calm down and go to sleep. Or better yet, why don't you forget Leila? Aqualad's right. There's no way she's going to help us."

The two men spin around at the sound of their leader's voice. Descending the stairs from the double doors to the common room's main section is Bumblebee. Based on how she wears a black short-sleeved pajama shirt along with loose-fitting black and yellow pants, she just rolled out of bed. On either side of her are Mas y Menos. Mas is wearing a cozy looking pair of Batman pajamas while Menos is adorned by Superman pajamas. They, too, appear as though they had to force themselves awake. Once they're in his line of vision Speedy gives a sigh.

"Look. When I came out here I just wanted to spend some time alone. I wasn't looking to throw a late night slumber party. Why doesn't everyone forget I'm awake and go back to sleep?"

Stretching her arms, Bumblebee releases a yawn. "Because if you're awake then something must be bugging you. As a person who loves to sleep, I'd never expect you to be up wandering around in the middle of the night like an old man with dementia." Pausing, she adds with irritation, "Please tell me that this isn't about Leila. I thought for sure that you'd be over her by now."

Mas y Menos give their input as well, appearing equally annoyed.

"Estás siendo ridículo. Esta chica nunca va a recoger toda la información,"complains Mas in aggravation.

Menos immediately agrees. "Eso es verdad. ¡Sólo la conociste ayer, por lo superarás! ¡Sé un hombre!"

Unable to understand a word out of Mas y Menos mouths, Speedy directs his attention to Bumblebee. "This isn't about getting over her or not getting over her. I'm genuinely convinced that Leila's going to help us. It's like I told Aqualad just now. She might not like me personally, but that doesn't mean that she's holding a grudge against the Titans East as a whole. If it's for the good of Steel City, then I think she'll come around."

Rolling his eyes, Mas leans in and whispers something to his brother. "Él está bien en la negación o él está volviendo loco. El gel para el cabello debe estar destruyendo su mente."

Meanwhile Aqualad and Bumblebee sigh in unison.

"I'm sorry, Speedy, but I think you're way off on this one," says the fish boy.

"I do too," adds Bee. "It doesn't matter what kind of excuses you try to make on her behalf, and it doesn't matter what kind of reasoning you use. Leila isn't going to do anything to help the Titans East and she's never going to use that number you gave her."

Once the words are spoken the room lapses into a brief moment of silence. Opening his mouth partway, Speedy is prepared to protest once more. That, however, is when the silence is broken. To everybody's absolute shock, it isn't broken by someone speaking or by a clap of thunder. Instead a loud ringing is heard echoing through the otherwise silent tower. It isn't the ringing of the crime alert or of an alarm. Rather, the ringing comes from the Tower's main console on the other side of the common room. A small red light is steadily blinking on the console's control panel as the ringing continues, letting the Titans know that someone has just connected to the Tower's private extension number.

Thoroughly surprised by this event, they shift their gazes to the digital clock. The whole time they're wondering what person would be crazy enough to call Titans Tower at one forty-nine in the morning. However, when the ringing stops and when the answering machine picks up the call, they learn exactly who their caller is. By no means is this a prank call. Feeling shocked times ten, their gazes stay firmly locked on the red blinking light as the person speaks from the line's other end. The harsh pounding of rain against glass can be heard in the background, suggesting that she's calling from a phone booth of some sort. She is also panting heavily as if she'd just finished running a long distance. Nonetheless, they're still able to make out the girl's words.

"Speedy, this is Leila. I'm sorry that I'm calling so late. I don't mean to wake everybody up, but this is kind of important," says a strong yet feminine female voice. "You remember when I told you that trusting me for leads was a dumb idea and that you were wasting your time by depending on me? Well, I was wrong and you were right. Congratulations. I ran across something on my way back from my babysitting job tonight; something big."

Everybody's eyes widen at Leila's words. This includes Speedy's. He was expecting to hear back from Leila, but definitely not this soon or at two o'clock in the morning. Meanwhile, everyone else in the room turns to gawk at Speedy. They're obviously every bit as surprised as he is. However, they don't have too much time to process their shock. Before they know it Leila resumes speaking.

"I would love to take the time to tell you about it, but this is really something you should hear in person. There's too much to explain. If you want to learn about the information I have, then meet me at  _'Lola's Café'_  tomorrow night at six-thirty. Bring the other Titans. The lead I have is a huge one, and they can't miss out." After a slight pause, she adds, "Also, I highly suggest that you show up in civilian clothing. We can't have your harem fangirl attacking Aqualad, now can we? Besides, I'll be able to recognize you no matter what you wear. With your bad boy stride and your pimp-like smirk, there's no way I won't be able to see you."

Speedy crosses his arms and blushes in indignation at her sarcastic remark. Bumblebee and Aqualad, on the other hand, chuckle lightly from beside him. Mas y Menos laugh as well, but their laughter is more similar to mocking guffaws than chuckles.

"You weren't exaggerating, Speedy! She really sounds like she hates you!" teases Aqualad.

"Bad boy stride and pimp-like smirk? Is that really what you look like when you're trying to impress girls?" asks Bee between giggles.

Opening his mouth, Speedy is ready to jump to his defense. Before he can, however, Leila speaks again. Sadly for the archer, it only works to aggravate him more.

"And, Speedy, please leave the ladies at the door when you walk in. I know there's  _'enough of Speedy to go around'_ just like you said, but I'd prefer not to have a bunch of whores in miniskirts clinging onto you while we're talking. You can impress them with your bow and strong muscles outside once our conversation is over. I'm sure they'll be impressed." By now Leila's voice doesn't just sound sarcastic, but also amused. "Well, I'm out of quarters and almost out of time, so I need to go. Again,  _'Lola's Café'_  tomorrow at six-thirty, and civilian clothing if you feel it's necessary. Goodbye."

With that being said, the girl hangs up. Normally Speedy would be thanking God that she ran out of quarters, but there's really no reason to. It's already far too late. By now the Atlantian and the Titan leader are in full-blown guffaws just like the twins.

" _'There's enough of Speedy to go around'_? You didn't actually say that, did you?!" asks Bumblebee as she keels over in laughter.

"Yes! Yes he did!" Aqualad exclaims amusedly. "Brittney told me that he did! I just didn't think that she was actually serious!"

Speedy scowls as he stomps over to the sofa and flops down. All of the sudden he wishes that he hadn't asked Leila for help and that he hadn't given her that forty bucks. This is absolutely humiliating! Was he really acting  _that_  dumb in front of those girls?! A second or two later Bee makes another comment, making Speedy wish that he could find Leila and give her a piece of his mind.

"You'd better go to bed and get some rest, Speedy. You should wake up early tomorrow so you have time to go through your book of pickup lines! Don't leave the ladies disappointed!"

Irritated, Speedy gives a sigh. "Come on, stop it. It's not that funny. All I was doing was talking to some girls. Nothing I did was that dumb."

Unfortunately the other four Titans ignore him. Feeling embarrassed beyond measure, Speedy gets up from the sofa and exits the common room. If he wasn't able to get to sleep before then he'll probably be able to now. When he wakes up maybe they'll have forgotten everything Leila said. Yet, for some reason, the archer can't help but smile at the same time. Sure she doesn't like him, but she still found something and she still called to let them know. Not only that, but she contacted them at two in the morning in the pouring rain to make sure that they got the message. If the other Titans didn't believe him about Leila before, then they have to now.

* * *

For the second time in the past two days Damiana stands in the motel room's bathroom preparing to dye her hair. It's after two and she has to be awake by nine o'clock AM. Because of this she should really hurry up with the dye job so she can get some rest. Yet, at the same time, Damiana doesn't want to dye her hair. All the young alien wants to do is stare at her reflection in the mirror so that she can see her full Dabnodian image for the first time in years. Until this very moment she had no idea how much she missed the colors. In the span of fifteen minutes the girl has watched her hair shift from greenish-yellow, to a vibrant shade of neon orange, and then to rose-red. Her eyes have been changing color right along with her hair, first to a brownish-yellow color, then to bright gold, and finally to the color her eyes are right now, soft pink. Her hair, however, is shifting from rose-red to a lovely shade of sapphire mingled with sky

Smiling, Damiana runs a hand through her thick wavy tresses. Her hair is thicker and even more beautiful than she remembers. At this, the girl gives a small sigh.

"Do I really have to put the hair dye back in? Can't I look like myself for just one day?"

Shifting her gaze to the bathroom vanity, Damiana sees the bottle of brown dye and a container that holds one of her three spare pairs of green colored contact lenses. They glare up at her demandingly, giving the alien her answer. Sighing once more, the girl looks back at the mirror to see her hair. Surprisingly, even with the change in her emotions, her hair is still as blue as ever. Giving a small forlorn smile, she speaks to her reflection.

"No. I guess I can't let my hair stay like this, can I? I've worked too hard to blend in with the humans. I can't throw it all away because I miss being a Dabnodian. That would be stupid." After a slight pause, she adds, "Besides. I have a meeting with the Titans tomorrow. Meeting with them as Leila Johnson is risky enough. I can't let them know that I'm a survivor from the planet Dabnod on top of it."

With that being said, Damiana picks up the bottle and reads the directions on the back. Not because she needs to, but because reading the directions enables her to be a Dabnodian for just a little bit longer. As she reads, however, a wave of guilt washes over her. This time it has nothing to do with whether or not she should color her hair. Eyes looking at the container of brown dye but no longer reading the words, she speaks aloud once more.

"If there's time tomorrow, I should really thank Speedy for the forty dollars he gave me. I couldn't have gotten this hair dye or the bread and peanut butter in the cupboard without it."

For the first time since entering her motel room Damiana actually feels bad about the message she left. As much as she dislikes Speedy, mocking him that badly over the Titans' answering machine was a cruel and low thing to do. Then again, he did bring it on himself by waltzing into the café with girls in miniskirts swarming him. So, now that she's thinking about it, why does she feel bad about the message she left at all?

Deciding that she's over-thinking the matter, Damiana sets the bottle back on the vanity, turns on the water, and begins washing her hair. It's been a long day. Maybe all she needs is to get her hair colored so she can go to sleep. By the time she wakes up, the Dabnodian will probably be back in her proper state of mind. If she feels any type of remorse about potentially embarrassing a pimp like Speedy then the fatigue and the rain must have gotten to her head.


	5. Part I: Inception: Chapter Five

_Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. Just the Dabnodian people and the deceased planet of Dabnod._

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Five**

Jump City: Titans West Tower

_Two Weeks Earlier…_

It had been very peaceful in Jump City that day. No robberies had occurred, nobody was held hostage, no evil robots were taking over the city; the day was absolutely perfect. By the time evening rolled around the team of founding Titans was as content as ever. Cyborg and Beast Boy were sitting on the sofa playing the newest version of  _Mega Monkeys_  on the Game Station. Raven was levitating in front of the window chanting her mantra in meditation. Robin and Starfire were sitting comfortably on the sofas other end, the Tamaranean explaining to Robin the different breeds of Portkins and the Boy Wonder scratching his head in confusion. A few seconds later, however, the tranquility of that day came to an abrupt and shocking end.

One moment the common room was filled with the cheerful chatter of the Titans and pinging noises coming from the Game Station. The next bright red flashing filled the room along with the loud blaring of the alarm. Knowing well what it meant, the Titans immediately left what they were doing and rushed over to the Titan supercomputer to see what the trouble was. Robin, the first to reach the supercomputer, pressed several buttons in order to bring up the police report. The moment he skimmed it over his posture stiffened, his eyes widened beneath his mask, and an expression of pure shock took over his face. Knowing their leader's normal responses to crime, his very out of character reaction didn't pass them by.

Concern showing bluntly in her large green eyes, Starfire spoke to him. "Robin, what has happened? Is the crime that we are to stop what one might consider  _'out of the ordinary'_?"

Spine still as rigid as ever, he turned to face his friends. "This isn't an average everyday convenience store robbery if that's what you're asking." After a momentary pause the Titan explained. "A prison break just happened at the Swarzberg Prison, and it's a big one."

All of their eyes widened simultaneously at the news, the whole group of them finally understanding the direness of the situation.

"The Swarzberg Prison?" Cyborg said in disbelief. "Are you sure this isn't the Jump City Jail you're talking about? Nobody could ever escape from Swarzberg! It's the most secure prison on the West Coast. Heck, it might even be the most secure prison in the country. It's inescapable!"

"Apparently that's not really the case. According to the police report, over fifty percent of the inmates have escaped from their cells and now they need our help rounding them up."

The facts finally sinking in, Beast Boy looked at his teammates in fear. "Hold on... If this is the Swarzberg Prison that the bad guys escaped from and not the Jump City Jail, then does that mean we have to help recapture some of the most dangerous criminals in America?"

"Yeah, but only  _some_  of them," Cyborg said simply. "If we're lucky it will be the people that commit high-level theft that we have to capture and not the crazy villains with freaky powers."

Beast Boy began panicking at Cyborg's comment, saying that he really didn't like the idea of fighting off ten super dangerous criminals all on his own at the same time. With over fifty percent of the prisoners out of their cells and trying to escape, that scenario seemed more than likely. Raven, who hadn't yet spoken until now, approached Robin with a deeply troubled expression on her face. The whole time she spoke she ignored Beast Boy's frantic jabbering.

"Robin, I'm not trying to sound paranoid, but do you know exactly which criminals escaped?  ** _He_**  didn't get loose, did he?"

The Titan leader's concerned expression intensified slightly. "I hate to say this Raven, but  _Black Shadow_ was one of the criminals that broke out. Not only that, but he also helped the others get loose; probably as some sort of diversion. He's the main reason why the Titans' help is needed."

If the group of them wasn't anxious previously, then there's no doubt that they were at this point. A long moment passed where the Titans didn't speak. They simply stared at Robin in disbelief. When one of them did get around to talking it was none other than Beast Boy.

"Dude, are you serious?! We could barely beat that guy that last time we fought him! How are we supposed to fight him plus all the other escaped criminals?!"

"I find myself agreeing with friend Beast Boy," Starfire admitted hesitantly. "Black Shadow is quite a formidable enemy. Is it truly possible for us to defeat him and the other escaped felons by ourselves without assistance?"

Before responding, Robin turned back toward the supercomputer and began typing in codes in order to get through to one specific frequency. Meanwhile he said, "No, we can't. If it was Black Shadow by himself we might stand a chance, but not this time. That's why I'm calling for backup."

Nobody needed to ask who it was that Robin was contacting. Each of them already knew. Yet, Raven asked the question anyway. She never was one to leave her facts go unchecked.

" _Frostbite_?" she asked in a single word.

Robin didn't turn away from the screen even once as he typed in the complex codes. Still, he gave a nod and confirmed her beliefs. "Yes.  _Frostbite_."

* * *

Frostbite has never been a hero that's received a lot of recognition. He made Jump City's local News on multiple occasions and the National News once or twice, but that was only due to the times when he teamed up with the Teen Titans to take down particularly dangerous criminals. Even then he's never had to work with them too often. The group of founding Titans is a very capable team and Frostbite is a very capable solo hero. The Teen Titans live in their Tower and get the attention from the media while Frostbite lives in an apartment by himself and avoids the media at all costs. As strange as it might sound, Frostbite doesn't mind this arrangement. If anything, he actually prefers it.

When he showed up at the Swarzberg Prison, however, he wasn't thinking about any of this. He wasn't thinking about the media. He wasn't thinking about how he'd probably end up on the News again after this ordeal. Heck, he wasn't even thinking about how to get all of the inmates back in their cells. The only thing on Frostbite's mind was finding one criminal in particular. A criminal so dangerous that he managed to break out of a cell that was twenty levels beneath the surface and that had a level fourteen containment field and webs of hidden lasers boxing it in. Not only that, but he was able to break out over fifty percent of the other prisoners in the process. Whatever Black Shadow was up to it couldn't have been good.

Scared at the massive battle that would most likely ensue once they ran into Black Shadow, and even more terrified at what the madman might do if he were to escape Swarzberg's grounds, Frostbite tightened the two sets of dual canteens that crossed over his chest while sprinting. Once the canteens were tightened he readjusted the icy blue mask that covered every part of his face besides his mouth and chin. His costume consisting of the mask, icy blue pants with sapphire blue stripes running up the sides, and an icy blue short sleeved shirt with a sapphire blue  _"F"_ in the center, Frostbite honestly doesn't seem like the most threatening hero in the world. Sure his well-built body would seem intimidating, but once people catch sight of the medium-length blonde ponytail that hangs out the bottom of his mask the intimidation usually ebbs slightly. Of course, Frostbite has never cared about seeming powerful or intimidating and has never cared about how people perceive him. All that has ever mattered is keeping people safe, and that is exactly what mattered to him here.

"Frostbite, are you sure that Black Shadow is in this part of the prison? If he released the other inmates it seems like he'd be above ground somewhere."

Robin's voice echoed slightly as the two allied heroes made their way through a set of winding metal hallways that lead deep underground. The escaped criminal's cell was twenty levels underground already, therefore the majority of people believed that twenty stories below is all the further down the prison went. To Frostbite's shock, many of the prison guards hadn't the slightest clue about the negative twenty-first through fortieth levels. Somehow the Teen Titans, Frostbite, the warden, and the veteran guards were the only ones who knew how deep beneath the surface Swarzberg actually ran. Why the people who were meant to keep watch over the prison were left unaware of such crucial information Frostbite will never be able to guess. Had they known about the extra twenty levels, not to mention about how intelligent Black Shadow truly is, then maybe the guards would have stood a better chance of keeping such a massive prison break from happening.

Hearing the Titan leader's voice, the twenty-one-year-old hero was quick to respond. "There's no doubt in my mind that he came this way. Black Shadow obviously did his research, so I did some of my own. It ends out that there's a sewer outlet somewhere on the negative fortieth floor. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think we both know what a sewer outlet means for a criminal who's trying to escape a life sentence."

The younger of the two gave an instant nod of understanding. "The sewers mean his ticket to freedom. And if he finds freedom, it could mean the city's ticket to disaster."

"It might not mean disaster only for Jump City," said Frostbite in a firm tone. "Knowing how insane this guy is, it could mean disaster for all of the country's superheroes. I have a feeling that he has a real taste for vengeance now that we've landed him in solitary confinement for the past year."

The two turned the corner and flew down the stairs to the negative thirty-ninth floor before Robin spoke once more. This time he sounded incredibly shocked.

"The whole hero community? Do you really mean that? Black Shadow has never committed a single crime outside the city. I know he's crazy, but he isn't ** _that_**  crazy, is he?"

Frostbite's reply was simple. "I'm not saying he is and I'm not saying he isn't. I'm only telling you that if this psychopath escapes, everybody needs to be on the lookout."

Robin's reply was also simple. "He won't escape. Not if I can help it."

With that said, the duo continued racing down the hallways as quickly as their legs could carry them. Frostbite, who had memorized a map of the near labyrinth on the way to the prison, made sure that they made all of the necessary turns. His ability to learn information and complex maps so quickly is only one of the reasons why the Titans keep him close. He never has known for sure, but he's fairly certain that his vast intellect and incredible abilities with water also have something to do with it. Of course, every time he's asked why they treat him like such an equal they said it's because he's their friend; even the horrendous Tamaranean on their team has said that. Honestly, Frostbite has wondered again and again why they consider him a friend. Every time they've asked if he wants to become a Teen Titan he's told them  _"no"_  very clearly…

Keeping these thoughts from entering his mind with too much depth, Frostbite made sure to keep his focus on the hallways. A turn to the right, two more turns to the left, and the negative fortieth floor should be in sight. Sadly for the two heroes, however, the entrance to that level never came into view. They didn't even have time to make it to their next turn before the lights started to flicker. A moment after the flickering began, ominous laughter filled the air around them. The two didn't even have time to feel scared. The Boy Wonder pulled out his bostaff and got into a fighting stance. Meanwhile Frostbite drew two long streams of water out of his canteens and split the liquid into sections, freezing each floating orb into the form of an icy dagger. His frozen arsenal of weapons floating in midair at the ready, Frostbite glared into the waning light.

"Well, my goodness," said a terrifyingly deep disembodied voice. "Look what my little stunt managed to drag in: Frostbite and Robin. How marvelous it is to see you. How long has it been since we last saw each other? A year? Maybe a year-and-a-half? I really don't remember. Time certainly flies when you're stuck in solitary confinement."

"In that case I hope you've enjoyed your hour of freedom, because you're going right back in to solitary confinement where you belong!" Robin glowered threateningly.

The deep voice responded with a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, really? You think the two of you can take me down that easily? The last time we fought it took all five Titans and Frostbite working together for you to even stand a chance against me." Pausing slightly, he added, "Speaking of the other Titans, I wonder where they're at. They're certainly not with you. Are the prisoners I released too much for them? Is that why the Teen Titans had to beg for your help again, Frostbite? Huh?"

Without even realizing it, Frostbite's daggers of ice grew sharper and more rigid. "Enough of this, Black Shadow. Get out here and show yourself. If you really believe Robin and I are that weak, then you would have come out of your hiding place by now."

Again the unseen man gave a laugh. Less than a moment later the lights ceased their flickering, casting the metal corridor in a bright iridescent glow. It is because of this that the solo hero and the Titan instantly noticed how abnormal the shadow looked as it emerged from the wall. It started out as nothing more than an oddly shaped circle that oozed out of a thin crack in between the wall's metal plating. Once it emerged completely the circle shifted to one side of the crack and began growing. It stretched from a small circle to a large oval. A moment later the oval began sprouting arms and legs, a head, and the center started taking on the shape of a male torso. Several seconds after that, the man-shaped shadow peeled off the wall in almost the same fashion as a sticker. From here all it took was a single instant for the featureless persona to turn fully human.

What started out as a flat two-dimensional figure immediately began thickening into a three dimensional form. As it thickened unbelievably pale skin began appearing along with short coffee brown hair, a long pointed nose, and beady hazel eyes. Being medium height, medium build, and having a smile that could belong on a Colgate commercial, the man didn't appear that menacing. Even so, Robin and Frostbite weren't about to underestimate him. They'd already made that mistake last time. Besides, any man with enough intelligence to break out of a prison like Swarzberg should never be taken lightly.

Not wanting to give him the chance to start fighting, Frostbite immediately started launching ice daggers at him. Sadly, this attack accomplished nothing. Black Shadow was able to dodge them easily. There was a particularly large dagger that came close to skewering him completely through, but he simply transformed his midsection into the form of shadow and allowed the glorified icesicle pass through. Irritated by this, the blue-clad hero reliquefied the ice into water and combined it with more water from his canteens. Transforming it into a whip as thick as an anaconda, he wrapped it around the criminal and forced him against the metal wall before freezing the water once more. Shaking his head at them in disappointment, Black Shadow transformed the parts of his body that were trapped into shadows and simply walked out of the icy prison.

Upon seeing this, Frostbite lost his grip on the ice and it fell to the ground in pieces. He wasn't the only one surprised by Black Shadow's new trick, because Robin nearly dropped his bostaff at the sight. Realizing that the dangerous criminal was slowly moving closer, Frostbite regained his stance and took back control of his ice. Meanwhile, Robin's stance stiffened and he tightened his grip on his staff. Despite the fact that their eyes were both covered by masks, they glared at the evil man.

"What is this, Black Shadow?! What kind of trick are you using?!" Robin exclaimed.

Hazel eyes narrowing into conniving slits, he gave an innocent shrug. "Trick? This isn't just a new trick, Robin. While I was imprisoned I unlocked some incredible techniques; techniques that haven't been seen in people with my abilities for generations. Before I was able to command shadows that already existed and I could turn myself into a shadow. But now, now I can control which parts of me transform and which parts don't. Not only that, but I've also learned how to make my own shadows from absolutely nothing and turn them into anything I want."

Eyes widening simultaneously, Frostbite shot another ice dagger at him and Robin threw several bird-a-rangs. Just like before, he dodged every weapon. The whole time Frostbite spoke to him.

"What? You must be lying. Shadows can't be made from nothing. That's impossible!"

Black Shadow gave a nonchalant shrug. "I thought so too until a few months ago. But, much like me, you're about to learn that nothing is impossible for the Master of Shadows. Just watch."

With that being said, the man aimed both hands at the wall behind them. The moment he did this bolts of black left his finger tips and attached to the cold metal in the forms of misshapen circles. Completely taken off guard by this, Robin and Frostbite whipped around one-hundred and eighty degrees and faced the wall. What was previously a duo of oddly-shaped circles were now transforming into large beast-like creatures. One was long, winding, had a large head, and four legs with claws, appearing similar to a Chinese dragon. The other was large, bulky, four-legged, and had three heads, looking much like a three-headed dog in one of the Grecian legends about the Gods.

Another second passed and they peeled off of the walls much like Black Shadow had done in the moments prior. As they transformed from two-dimensional to three-dimensional forms, shiny black scales began appearing on the dragon as well as fangs and glowing red eyes. As for the dog, dark gray fur started sprouting along with razor sharp teeth on each mouth. Like the dragon, its eyes were a dangerous shade of red. Immediately understanding their targets, the dragon and the three-headed dog moved in on Robin and Frostbite while growling viciously.

"Meet my dear pets, Max and Fang. Be careful with them. They like to play rough," said Black Shadow smugly. After a moment of hesitation he added, "Well, with my fellow convicts occupying your friends and with my pets keeping the two of you busy, it looks like I'm free to go. Until next time."

Surprisingly, Black Shadow didn't transform back into a shadow and seep through the cracks in the walls like the heroes had expected. Instead the villain disappeared into thin air. One moment he was there and the next he was gone, almost like a phantom. If the shadow creatures weren't enough to shock them, then this definitely did the trick. Robin, who was busily throwing bird-a-rangs at the three-headed dog, expressed his shock vocally.

"What?! How is that even possible?!"

Frostbite replied as he formed every ounce of water at his disposal into a massive floating orb. "It doesn't matter how he did it. All that matters is taking out these monsters so we can recapture Black Shadow and put him back in prison."

Bow staff and grappling hook in hand, Robin gave a stiff nod. "My thoughts exactly."

Without another word the Titan leader and the solo hero jumped into battle. Using his grappling hook, Robin tied up the legs of the three-headed dog in attempt to confine it. Once confined, he risked whacking it several times in one of the heads with his bow staff in hope that it would lose its balance. Of course, when it broke free from the rope, grabbed the end metal staff with its teeth, and tossed Robin ten feet through the air, all thoughts of taking the beast down easily were dashed. Under normal circumstances Frostbite would have rushed to Robin's aid. Although, due to his own set of circumstances, helping his young friend was quite impossible.

Blood-colored eyes locked firmly on the water user, the dragon stood at an angle so that its large scaly body was blocking Frostbite off from Robin and the three-headed dog. Knowing that Black Shadow was getting farther away by the second and not wanting to waste another moment, Frostbite continued putting all of his energy into the watery orb he was creating. Even after using all the water from his canteens and stretching the water as far as it would go, it only reached half the size of the dragon. Frostbite sighed in irritation at that point, wanting nothing more than to take oxygen molecules from the air so he could convert some of them into water. However, this technique being extremely advanced and having...a particularly irritating side effect…he immediately decided against it.

_"Oh well,"_ said Frostbite internally.  _"I guess I'll have to make do with what I have."_

Strengthening his stance, Frostbite performed a complex set of arm motions that only a true professional could achieve in such a short span of time. Less than a second later the orb moved to engulf the dragon. It engulfed everything from its head all the way down to its middle stomach. The shadow creature struggled fiercely from within the orb, appearing both angry and terrified. As it kicked, clawed, and squirmed, Frostbite stood firmly in place in order to keep the orb from splashing to the ground in a puddle. Ordinarily the young man would never dream of using the water orb for such a thing, but seeing as this creature isn't truly alive he's decided to make an exception.

It took several moments, but eventually the dragon ceased in its struggling. Once this happened Frostbite performed another set of complex arm motions which caused the watery orb to swell to an unbelievable size before bursting. The water fell from the air like rain a second later, the drops of liquid mixed with soot-colored bits of shadows from the dragon. Frostbite smiled at the sight, happy to see that the fanged beast reverted back to its original shadow form like he'd expected. However, also like he'd expected, the part of the dragon that didn't fit in the orb still remained. Not just that, but the back portion and lower stomach of the previous dragon sprouted a new head, forming a new smaller creature for him to battle.

Not wanting to give the creature the slightest chance to get to its feet, Frostbite re-conjured the water he used to destroy the original dragon and immediately got started on another orb. As he worked he was disappointed to discover that over one-third of the water he'd used previously had vanished. It most likely evaporated into the air from the intensity of the last move he'd used. Would it have been possible for him to convert the water vapor back into liquid? Absolutely. However, like converting oxygen molecules into water molecules, this technique is highly advanced. Like every highly advanced technique, it comes with that one irritating side effect that prevents him from using it.

Sighing in aggravation, Frostbite decided to stretch the water he had the best he could. Even with one-third of his previous water supply gone, he could still have enough to use the water orb one last time. Then again, if he used up another one-third of his water, what would he have left to defeat Black Shadow with? He certainly couldn't use one of his advanced techniques. There was no doubt in his mind that it would ruin everything…

Suddenly, before the man had a chance to contemplate whether he should do another water orb or use a water serpent instead, a bolt of green shot past him and hit the foul beast squarely in the head. Startled by this, Frostbite spun around in the opposite direction. To both his relief and his irritation, the rest of the Teen Titans had come to aid them. Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven,  _…Starfire…_ , all of them were there. Robin, who had been whacking at the dog's legs with his bow staff and was in the process of tripping it, looked up at his team with a smile.

"Hey, I'm glad to see you all made it! Quick, help us beat these things so we can go after Black Shadow! If we don't hurry up, he's going to make it to the sewers!"

Out of the four Titans that most recently appeared, Beast Boy was the first to respond. "Dude, Black Shadow made those things?! Are you serious?! The last I checked he was just some creepy guy who could turn into a shadow and make the shadows of gumball machines chase you!"

Frostbite, who finally decided on using a water serpent, replied while attempting to strangle the dragon. "Yeah, but he taught himself a few tricks while he was locked away. Now he's going to be harder to defeat than ever."

Starfire, who wanted to finish this battle every bit as much as Frostbite, flew closer and shot several more starbolts at the monstrous dragon. Meanwhile she said, "The new abilities Black Shadow has acquired do not matter. We will find him and we will capture him the same as before!"

Frostbite couldn't stop himself from glaring at the Tamaranean. "Starbolts and super strength would never accomplish anything against someone who can avoid strikes by turning into a shadow. Your powers are useless against a villain like that. I don't mean to put a damper on your optimism, but someone else is going to have to handle Black Shadow."

He didn't even bother looking at Starfire. It is because of this that he never saw the hurt welling inside of her deep emerald eyes. Of course, even if he did see it, it wouldn't matter. Frostbite wouldn't have cared either way. Doing her best to hide the pain, Starfire addressed him along with others. Still he didn't look at her. He kept his all of his focus locked on the dragon.

"Friend Frostbite could possibly be correct. Perhaps I should stay here and defend against Black Shadow's creatures while the rest of you seek him out."

Opening his mouth partway, Robin was ready to reply to her statement. Before he could, however, the dragon broke free from Frostbite's water serpent. The moment it was free it stood on its hind legs and released a loud echoing roar. As it roared the creature grew longer. Less than a second later it was the same size as when the battle started. Each and every person's eyes widened, completely dumbfounded by the sight. His staff in one hand and bird-a-rangs in the other, Robin spoke.

"How about Cyborg, Beast Boy, and I stay here too. It looks like these things aren't going to go down easy." After a slight pause he added, "Frostbite, Raven, go find Black Shadow. If you need help, backup is just a call away."

Hearing the Titan leader, Frostbite exchanged glances with the gray-skinned girl and nodded.

Re-conjuring as much water as possible back into his canteens, he motioned to her. "Come on, Raven. Let's take this guy down before he escapes Swarzberg."

* * *

The last time Frostbite sprinted through the sewers was when he and the Titans were in pursuit of a group of four bank robbers. Capturing them wasn't nearly as hard as they thought it would be and the quartet of criminals went down fairly easily. Of course, after that battle, Frostbite swore that he would never go down into the sewers again. They smelled awful, there were rats everywhere, and he was almost certain that he saw a group of hobos playing strip poker… Over all, the sewers were a dreadfully unpleasant place and Frostbite has always preferred to keep his distance from them.

However, in this particular situation, he couldn't have cared less about how unpleasant the sewers were. The only thing the water user wanted to do was capture Black Shadow before he found a manhole cover and exited to the surface. Based on the intense violet eyes of the Titan's darkest member, Raven was clearly thinking the same thing. Having searched the entire fortieth floor without spotting the slightest trace of Black Shadow, it could only have been assumed that the monsters he distracted them with gave him just enough time to make it to the sewer outlet. So, at this point, this is where Frostbite and Raven were. They were dashing through the sewers in search of the criminal.

"I'm starting to wonder if he found a way above ground already," said Raven. "It isn't like Black Shadow to hide from a fight."

Frostbite replied from his place running alongside the floating girl. "I know. I've been thinking the same thing. He's either escaped successfully or is lying in wait ready to attack with his new powers."

A moment of silence passed before Raven spoke again. "If he is lying in wait for us, do you think that we'll be able to handle him or will we need to call Robin for backup?"

Turning to face her, Frostbite smiled. "You have your spells and I have my water. I'm sure we won't need to call for back up right away." Pausing he added, "Besides. You were raised by the monks of Azarath and have been learning their spells since the cradle. That alone makes you very powerful."

Raven raised a brow beneath her hood as she eyed him curiously. "You told us that you're an orphan who's lived on Earth your entire life. What would you know about Azarath?"

In all technicality Frostbite should have been incredibly nervous at Raven's words. Instead he simply averted his gaze and looked at the scummy ground as he spoke under his breath. The girl wasn't meant to hear the words he confessed, but there's no doubt that she heard him either way.

"I know a lot more than you think. If only you knew, how surprised you would be."

From here the two said nothing. They simply continued searching in silence. Of course, even if they had wanted to carry out a conversation, there wouldn't have been time. Not even sixty seconds passed before a deep, menacing, voice came out of nowhere. Unsurprisingly, it was the same voice as before. Upon hearing it the hero took some of the remaining water from his canteens and formed a water whip while the Titan used her dark energy to lift a large boulder defensively. Just like the battle previous, Black Shadow did nothing but laugh scornfully.

"I have to admit, you heroes really seem to be struggling this evening. First you can barely handle the prisoners I released and now it's taking four out of six of you to defeat my shadow monsters. Without your assistance, Frostbite, it seems like the Titans would be completely sunk." After a slight pause he added, "Then again, it's not as though you make too much of a difference. Do you, Frostbite? All you do is toss your silly little icesicles at people and splash around. I do believe that another shadow monster or two is all it would take to keep the two of you occupied so I could make my final escape."

"Enough toying with us and enough games," said Raven in a harsh monotone. "If you're going to fight us, then show yourself."

Again Black Shadow laughed. While doing so he split apart from a group of shadows and shifted into his human form. This time Frostbite noted that the transformation happened much more quickly. He wasn't sure if this was due to more practice or to growing tired of dramatic entrances, but either way Frostbite knew that he had to be on higher alert. Being so close to freedom and so close to revenge, Black Shadow wasn't ready to back down so easily. At last the villain spoke once more.

"Ah, Raven. You're always such a ray of sunshine. What a pleasure it is to see you."

Using her dark energy, Raven wrapped him tightly in a cocoon-like fashion and shoved him against one of the dank stone walls. Black Shadow struggled, though he didn't break free immediately. Rather, he watched the female Titan as she approached him with a firm expression.

"Just so you know, the feeling isn't mutual. Once you're back in prison, stay there so we never have to deal with you again."

Despite the fact that he was wrapped up tightly in her dark energy, the man gave a shrug. "I'm sorry sweetie, but I can't do that. I have evil plans to make, things to steal, stuff to destroy…. Being in prison would simply be too inconvenient." Pausing, he added, "Although, to be honest, I wouldn't mind fighting you again sometime. Most people don't appreciate the beauty under that dark cloak of yours."

Growing irritated, Frostbite took his water whip and aimed it at the villain. His intention was to wrap the liquid around his mouth and freeze it to prevent him from speaking. Once that was done he was going to throw together a makeshift waterfrost orb to keep his body trapped. Being a step up from a simple water orb, the waterfrost orb is nearly indestructible. The only thing sturdier than a waterfrost orb is an ice prison, but considering how it takes extreme concentration to create one and how only a person truly skilled with their water abilities could build it effectively, it wasn't even worth trying. Also, with the level of proficiency an ice prison takes, Frostbite didn't want to risk that irritating side effect popping up again either…

Sadly for the two heroes, however, the water whip never had time to reach him. In the blink of an eye Black Shadow managed to shift back into shadow form, escape Raven's grip, and return to the damp stone ground in the form of a human. Stunned at how quickly he managed to perform this action, Frostbite and Raven gaped at him as they stood stiff in preparation to fight.

Crossing well-built arms over his chest, hazel eyes stared them down mockingly. "You still haven't learned, have you? I'm not an average villain that can be defeated with a few icesicles and some magic spells. If you really want to return me to prison so badly, then I suggest you put some effort into capturing me. Otherwise I'm going to escape and both of you are going to look like fools."

"You shouldn't underestimate us, Black Shadow. Raven and I have more tricks up our sleeves than you think," said Frostbite as he created a second water whip.

The man raised an amused yet skeptical brow. "Oh, really? We'll have to see about that."

Smirking viciously, the man stretched both palms in the directions of the nearby shadows. A bolt of black shot out of each palm like charcoal-colored lightning, causing Raven and Frostbite to move backwards instinctively. Less than a second later the shadows touched by Black Shadow's power started shifting, arms, legs, and blood-red eyes sprouting simultaneously. The moment the body parts appeared the shadows locked eyes with them and began screeching at a pitch so loud that it was practically deafening. With at least a half dozen shapeless blobs with limbs making the noises at once, the two were forced to cover their ears for relief. Only when the creatures stopped did the two set their glares on the monsters' creator.

"Using existing shadows to form your creatures instead of making your own? I have to admit that I'm disappointed. You were bragging up your new techniques to Robin and me a short while ago."

Black Shadow gave a shrug. "Yes, but I can't depend only on my new techniques. My old pets feel left out otherwise. Not to mention that they're very effective to use in battle all by themselves."

Before going after the creatures, Raven and Frostbite exchanged glances. A second after that the two sprang into action. Coating several monsters in her dark energy, Raven squeezed them as tightly as she could until they burst into pieces like black balloons. Meanwhile, Frostbite forced his water into the air and allowed it to fall like rain. Doing a quick set of arm motions, the rain converted into frost and froze the remaining monsters from head-like blob to toe-like blob. Once he was certain they were frozen completely Frostbite moved both arms in a single swift motion, causing the ice to shatter. When it shattered the shadow monsters broke apart along with it. Turning back to Black Shadow, the solo hero and the Titan gave him a critical look. The whole time the brown-haired man scratched his neck in embarrassment while giving an awkward shrug.

"Okay… Maybe they're not so good to use in battle… Now I remember why I had to upgrade."

Frostbite gave Raven a side glance and re-conjured his water from various places on the ground as he addressed her. "Raven, take hold of him and don't let go. Put as much energy into keeping him trapped as you possibly can."

The girl responded with a nod as she trapped Black Shadow in her dark aura once again. It could easily be seen that the aura was much stronger than during her previous attempt. Black Shadow squirmed and struggled, appearing to have an incredibly difficult time transforming. As he struggled he shot the Titan a sharp glare.

"W-what the heck is this?! Why can't I transform?!"

"Frostbite wasn't bluffing. This is one of the tricks up my sleeve that he was talking about," she said with a slight smirk.

Meanwhile, Frostbite was doing another complicated set of arm motions, these being much more complex than the ones performed to create the water orb. As he did this the water came together in the air to form a large sphere. With each movement the water in the orb started to ripple and create waves, causing it to appear wobbly and unstable. When some of the waves started to freeze over, however, it became apparent that this was completely intentional. The whole time he was constructing the waterfrost orb Frostbite couldn't help but be nervous. Once this move was complete, three quarters of his remaining water supply would be gone. If this didn't work and if the other Titans didn't make it to them in time, then he would be left with very few defensive options. Sure sewer water could be an option, but for some reason it never quite responded to him correctly. Another reason why he made it a personal mission to try avoiding the sewers…

_"Oh well,"_  Frostbite said internally once the orb was complete.  _"Here goes nothing."_

The waterfrost orb now being a sturdy mixture of air on the inside and water and thick ice on the outside, the twenty-one year old gave the command. "Raven, let him loose!" Raven didn't hesitate to obey. Giving a stiff nod, she released the criminal from her dark aura and let him fall through the air toward the ground. Even so, Black Shadow never got the chance to make contact with the cold stone. Before he could he found himself trapped inside of a human-sized ball constructed of ice and water. Once he was stuck inside Raven took hold of it with her aura, ensuring that he absolutely would not escape. He was banging on the inside of it with his fists and shooting bolts of black at it, but it was completely useless. The criminal was trapped just as Frostbite had planned.

"Alright, Black Shadow, the fun's over. You're going back to prison and you're staying in prison where you belong," said Frostbite while nearing the waterfrost orb.

Black Shadow, who'd stopped trying to escape and was now standing inside the sphere calmly, released a chuckle at his words. It didn't take long for the chuckle to turn into loud guffaws. Frostbite and Raven stared him down in a mixture of irritation, confusion, and concern.

"Is there a reason why you're so giggly?" asked Raven in an annoyed monotone.

"Of course there is, sweetie. The reason is simple," Black Shadow said with his arms crossed leisurely. "You can't actually defeat me. Not really. Not with this little crystal ball of yours."

Eyes widening beneath his mask, Frostbite walked closer to the orb and scowled at him. "What? You're bluffing! The waterfrost orb is a high level technique! It's practically indestructible! There is absolutely no way that you can bust out of that! It's impossible!"

Meanwhile, Raven said in the background, " ** _Stop_**  calling me sweetie."

Both of the men ignoring her, Black Shadow raised a skeptical brow at the water user. "Oh, really? You honestly think that this over-sized snow cone is going to keep me confined?"

" _Yes_ ," replied Frostbite steadfastly. "It's kept everyone else contained, so it will contain you."

Shrugging a shoulder, the villain leaned against the wall of the orb nonchalantly. "Okay, then. If you really don't think I'm capable of busting out of here, I'll just have to show you what I can do."

With that being said, Black Shadow pressed both of his palms together. For a moment it appeared as though nothing was happening. However, upon a second glance, a tiny ball of black lightning was seen coming together. Suddenly understanding that Black Shadow wasn't bluffing in the tiniest increment, Frostbite and Raven leapt backwards. Raven strengthened her black aura around the frosty sphere and Frostbite took the waterfrost orb back under control, both of them doing their best to keep the criminal contained. Unfortunately for them, their efforts were entirely useless. In less than ten seconds an echoing electric  ** _zap_**  was heard along with the shattering of ice. So great was the impact that Frostbite and Raven flew back by several feet before smacking into a wall.

Of course, the impact did nothing to stop them. Rubbing his head tenderly, Frostbite worked his way to his feet. Raven stood up as well, appearing every bit as ready to fight as before. The throbbing in his head vanishing after a few seconds, the solo hero scanned the area with his eyes. Based on the intent expression in her violet irises, Raven too was searching the area. To their surprise, Black Shadow was still in sight. The thing that wasn't surprising was the fact that his figure was retreating down a stone tunnel filled with stench. Not only that, but he was retreating fast.

"We have to go after him," said Raven determinedly. "He can't escape!"

More than anything, Frostbite wanted to say that exact same thing. Knowing how close the manhole cover leading to Jump City's streets was, he wanted to spring into action and charge after him. Sadly, he couldn't. Not after using the water orb and the waterfrost orb so close together without a place to restock on usable water. Pursing his lips in concern, he voiced his thoughts to the girl.

"I'm sorry Raven, but you're going to have to do this without me. Either that or we're going to have to call one of the others to back you up. There's no way I can keep fighting this guy. Almost my whole water supply is gone. It evaporated after creating the orbs. I have nothing to left to fight with."

The girl's violet eyes widened as she spoke sounding anxious. "What? You can't just leave us to deal with Black Shadow on our own. The reason we were able to capture him last time was only because of your powers. Without you he would have escaped. If you don't stick around to help capture him, then this time he  _will_  escape."

Not knowing what else to do, Frostbite gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, but I can't help. Not until I restock on water. Unless I do that, I'm completely useless."

The young man crossed his fingers and hoped that the Titan girl would take the bait. Sadly, she didn't take it in the least. Instead she pointed something out that he'd hoped she wouldn't think of.

A look of pure curiosity came across her pale gray features. "If the only thing your water did was evaporate, can't you transform it from water vapor to liquid using your powers? You can transform liquid water into solid ice and then reliquinate it. It seems like you should be able to do that too."

Biting down on his lower lip, Frostbite rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well…if you want to get technical… then yes. I can turn water vapor back into liquid. I can even turn oxygen molecules into water molecules if I need to. It's just that…those are extremely high level techniques...  _Master_ level techniques, actually… And strange things happen when I use those moves."

Arching an inquisitive brow, she asked, "What kind of strange things? I've never heard about side effects happening to people who have elemental abilities."

At a loss for how else to explain things, he turned his back to Raven as he spoke. "Look. It doesn't matter if you've heard about it or not. The point is that I can't use my Master level techniques. If I do, it will ruin everything for me."

Once the words were out, the two of them looked back down the tunnel. Black Shadow was growing smaller by the second, now only the size of a pebble. Irritated, Raven addressed Frostbite.

"It will ruin everything for you? Is that all you're concerned about? A dangerous criminal is about to walk free through Jump City. If we don't stop him innocent people will be put at risk, and the only thing you're worried about is what could happen to your image?"

Normally Frostbite would be irritated at the way she spoke to him. In this case, however, her words sunk in. Was he really willing to risk the lives of thousands of civilians just to keep his secret? If people got hurt then it would be his fault and it would all be because he was too afraid for someone to know the truth about him. Not only that, but in the process of his panic, Frostbite forgot one crucial fact. Raven was born and raised on Azarath. If anybody should understand him, it's her. Releasing one last sigh, Frostbite turned to face the girl.

"Raven," he said slowly, "you were born on the planet Azarath, right? And you share the beliefs and views of your people?"

Based on the look in her violet irises, the question took her off guard. Yet she still answered. "Yes. The monks raised me and taught me everything there is to know about my powers. Because of them, I am forever loyal to Azarath."

Frostbite simply nodded. "Very well. The Azarathians were always very kind to my people and the planet Azarath was considered our strongest ally for over five thousand years. It is because of my people's debt to your people that I will let you in on my secret. Just don't tell anyone, okay? Or I'll make sure you regret it."

As Raven's eyes widened and as she stumbled backwards, a wave of understanding washed over her. The whole time he looked at the girl, Frostbite knew that she understood exactly what he was talking about. Even so, neither of them said a word. Knowing that Raven would keep his secret, and also knowing that they would never be able to capture Black Shadow without using his Master level water techniques, Frostbite shifted into a stance that he hadn't used in nearly five years. Once his feet were firmly planted, he performed a set of arm motions mixed with hand movements. The sight of it was so complex that it almost looked like some type of alien sign language.

It took several seconds, but eventually water started appearing in the air. It showed up in cloud-like clusters, slowly transforming from clouds into thick streams. As the water vapor turned fully into liquid, Frostbite streamed it inside of his canteens with as much speed as possible. However, it wasn't the water that caught Raven's attention, and Frostbite knew this well. The whole time he was reliquinating the vaporized water he could feel her eyes fixed on one specific part of him; the medium-length ponytail that hung freely down his back. As he performed the Master level technique he felt that one irritating side effect take place.

Frostbite's hair, that usually looked blonde and as normal as ever, turned completely to frost. The blonde color frosted off and fell to the ground in a heap of snow, revealing it to be nothing more than hair dye. Once he had all the water he needed from the air around him Frostbite screwed the caps back on his canteens and allowed his luscious mane to defrost. Once it did he cringed beneath the mask and Raven gasped slightly. As hard as he tried to ignore it, the youthful man was still able to see loose strands of sky blue and aquamarine in his peripheral vision. As the seconds passed they shifted to navy blue and sapphire blue, confirming for Raven what she had guessed.

"There. Now you know," said Frostbite without looking at her. Then he added, "I have plenty of water now, so come on. Let's go capture Black Shadow."

With that being said, the two made their way down the tunnel with as much speed as possible. Black Shadow was still very far ahead of them, but this didn't last. Using her powers to make up for the large gap in distance, Raven tossed a large rock directly at the criminal. It made contact with his back only a second later and caused him to tumble to the ground with an echoing  _crash_. The instant he was off of his feet, the girl picked him up with her aura and trapped him for the third time in fifteen minutes. Considering how he struggled against the dark energy, the girl was putting every ounce of effort into it that she could. His dark blue ponytail shifting to apple red, Frostbite gave Raven a smile.

"Excellent job, Raven! Keep it up! I'm going to see if I can whip up a sturdier prison."

Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she asked, "Is this  _'sturdier prison'_  another Master level technique that will cause your hair to turn to ice?"

Already uncapping his canteens and streaming out his water, he gave a nod. "Yes. Also, I should probably mention that I don't want you to tell the Titans about any of this. The extent of my abilities with water and my rainbow hair are to be kept secret. Never tell any of them;  ** _especially_**  not the Tamaranean Princess who you call  _'friend'_. Understand?"

Raven nodded. "I understand completely. This can stay between us."

Hearing their conversation, Black Shadow's gaze shifted to Frostbite. Upon looking at him, the villain's eyes widened in shock. "Hold on a second. You do have rainbow hair! What the heck are you?!"

Frostbite didn't respond to the man's frantic cries. Instead he shifted his attention to the Titan. "Raven, lower him to the ground, move him away from the wall, and make sure you don't let go. He's going to freak out in a minute, and I don't want him to be free when he does."

The girl followed Frostbite's instructions without protest. The moment Black Shadow was in the right spot the hero began performing another exceedingly intricate set of arm movements mingled with hand motions. As he did this, the stream of water moved to the ground and split into three different entities. Slithering along the ground like snakes, they made their way toward Black Shadow and circled around him in the forms of rings. Once they stopped moving Black Shadow appeared as though he was standing in the center of a target. The whole time he remained helplessly trapped inside of Raven's dark energy. It's a good thing, too, because he started to freak out at the sight of the rings surrounding him just like Frostbite had predicted. The sight of his hair turning pure white with frost didn't help the situation any, either.

"No, wait! What are you going to do to me?! What's wrong with your hair?! What kind of creature are you?!"

Not once hesitating in the set of arm movements, Frostbite looked at the criminal as three different layers of ice started to rise up around him. The innermost layer was thin yet extremely cold, forcing him to stand completely still at the icy chill. The middle layer was thick and rigid, making it difficult to break through upon escaping the first layer but also extremely painful. Then there was the outermost layer which was glossy and as thick as ice could possibly get. Frostbite knows from personal experience that the ice prison's outer layer is more effective than bulletproof glass. Knowing that he most likely wasn't going to escape from this, Black Shadow began uselessly squirming under Raven's aura as well as the growing ice. The whole time he shouted at Frostbite.

"You can't do this to me! My powers are meant for battling humans! Not whatever the heck you're supposed to be! Are you some sort of mutant or a monster?!"

Shrugging, Frostbite gave the villain a smirk. "Oh, no. I'm nothing of the sort. I'm something much more terrifying than that. What I am is an alien. Now hold still or I'm going to suck out your brain."

Black Shadow opened his mouth, appearing ready to scream. Before he could, however, the ice came up past his head and froze him solid. It was only after he was coated by all three layers of ice that Raven finally relinquished her hold on him. Meanwhile, Frostbite felt as his hair returned to its normal state. Considering how both Raven and the criminal saw his actual appearance, the hero should have been feeling increasingly nervous. Yet, he didn't. The fact that his hair was still at a bright happy shade of apple red made this fact well known. Crossing his arms over his chest, he laughed.

"Wow. I haven't used my Master level techniques in ages! It feels so good! Maybe I should try using a wig instead of hair dye so I can use the full extent of my abilities more often. I wonder if a wig would work better or if that would freeze off like the hair dye…"

Putting down her hood, Raven moved closer to the alien as he spoke to himself. Frostbite didn't even notice her. The only time he remembered her presence was when she addressed him.

"I've had suspicions that you might a Dabnodian from the start, you know. Azarath and Dabnod had one of the strongest alliances in the galaxy for over five-thousand years. I know a Dabnodian when I see one."

Hair shifting from apple red to a deep shade of forest green, Frostbite turned to face the girl. For the first time since meeting the Titans two years prior, he lifted up one of his hands and pulled up on the icy blue mask. In no more than three seconds he had it completely off, revealing everything from a thin nose, arched brows, an excessively masculine facial structure, and lovely eyes that were currently an amber color. So surprised was he at her confession that he didn't notice the powdery blush that came over the dark Titan's cheeks at the sight of his face.

"You knew I was a Dabnodian the whole time? How?"

"It wasn't hard to figure out," Raven replied a moment later. "Your powers, your hostility toward Starfire, how you've had to rush home several times over the years to dye your hair… I pieced it all together."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Frostbite gave a chuckle. "Of course. I should have known that I could never hide my heritage from an Azarathian. That's why the alliance between my planet and your dimension lasted for so long was because of the Azarathians' sharp level of intelligence." After a moment of hesitation he asked, "What about the rest of the Titans? Do they know that I'm not actually human?"

Raven immediately shook her head. "No. I never told any of them. Not with Starfire on the team. Most Tamaraneans are under the impression that all of the Dabnodians were killed in the destruction of the planet. The majority of them had no idea about Queen Guayusa's escape pods." Pausing, she added, "Not to mention, if Starfire found out that you're a survivor from Dabnod and that her people destroyed your home, it would completely devastate her."

Frostbite gave a nod. "I can understand that. The last thing the Teen Titans need is an emotional teammate. That could destroy the entire team."

Once the words were out, a long moment of silence passed. Even so, the silence wasn't wasted on Frostbite. Reaching his free hand toward his now emerald green ponytail, he took out the tie holding it up, switched his mask to his mouth, and used both hands to tie his hair into a form of sloppy bun. As he tried accomplishing this task, Raven couldn't help but catch sight of his hair tie. It wasn't something plain that a person might find at Walmart or a dollar store. Instead his hair tie was a thin golden band with a silver charm holding the two ends of the golden band together. To anybody else the silver charm would've looked like something completely random. If Beast Boy would have been there, he probably would have described it as a sideways hourglass or an infinity symbol trapped inside of a weird diamond shape. Raven, on the other hand, recognized it instantly. When she recognized, it she felt her heart sink.

"You're carrying a Zirnoth Charm with you," she said in a sympathetic monotone as she got a few steps closer. "You're wearing it in your hair, too. Whoever she was, she must have been special."

Without warning, Frostbite's eyes turned dark gray and his hair a deep shade of plum-colored purple. "Yes," he said slowly. "She was very special. She was one of the three special people I was forever separated from the day Dabnod was destroyed."

Her heart sinking deeper, Raven moved closer than before and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know it must be painful to suffer the amount of loss that you've suffered."

Shoving his hair which was now in an askew bun back in his hair tie, Frostbite gave a small smile. Meanwhile, his hair and eyes lightened from dark gray and plum to pale gray and light violet.

"Don't be too sorry, Raven," he replied. "Two special people, my mother and the woman who gave me her Zirnoth Charm, are dead. There's no changing that. But my third special person is still alive. I know she's alive. I shoved her onto a pod and got her off the planet myself."

Surprised, the dark Titan gaped at him. "Really? Someone you know survived? Who?"

"My baby sister," he said with a smile. "She's intelligent, determined, has probably read every book out of Queen Guayusa's library, can speak languages that even the Palace scribes couldn't figure out… She's the best baby sister a brother could have. Wherever in the galaxy she's at, she's the same age as you; sixteen. In a way, you kind of remind me of her."

Hearing this, Raven returned his smile. "It sounds like you really care about her." After a momentary pause, she asked, "What's your sister's name?"

Frostbite replied without a moment of hesitation. "Damiana. Her name is Damiana."

From here the two went silent. Lucky for them it was a comfortable silence. Pulling his icy blue mask back on so that every strand of hair was covered, he motioned to Raven so that they could depart from the sewers. With Black Shadow trapped in ice unable to escape, they figured it would be safe to contact the guards and have them take the villain to a secure cell. It's only too bad that the solo hero and the Titan didn't notice how empty Frostbite's ice prison was before they left. Had they noticed, then maybe they would have had time to recapture the criminal before he escaped Swarzberg Prison and fled from Jump City.


	6. Part I: Inception: Chapter Six

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. I only own the Dabnodians._

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**Part I: Inception: Chapter Six**

Steel City: Titans East Tower

Currently

The day is Tuesday. The time is five forty-five in the evening. Because the Titans East have somewhere very important they're supposed to be forty-five minutes from now, they're dressed from head to toe in civilian clothing. Bumblebee is wearing plain black leggings, a dressy emerald green top, and a denim jacket in order to cover her wings. Mas y Menos are dressed in an identical fashion, wearing blue jeans and black t-shirts. The only difference between the two of them would be that Mas' shirt has the Batman symbol on it and Menos' shirt the Superman symbol. Aqualad too is dressed for the occasion, the aquatic man wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Speedy, while also dressed for their evening outing, has clothes that are very different from the rest. While he still wears jeans, they're ripped out in the knees and are extremely faded. Because the jeans appear so ragged, the clean white t-shirt he wears without a hole in sight is a steep contrast. Of course, it isn't the jeans and the t-shirt that would draw the attention of most people. What really make him stand out from the rest of the Titans are the leather jacket, the biker boots, and the dark sunglasses that hide the redhead's eyes; not to mention the toothpick he holds in the corner of his mouth. The moment they see him the Titans' eyes widen.

"Uh…Speedy?" asks Aqualad. "What the heck are you wearing?"

Crossing his arms, the archer leans against the wall with a sarcastic smirk. "My 'bad boy' outfit. At first I was just going to wear a t-shirt and my nice jeans, but then I thought that Leila might not recognize me in something like that. On my off time she probably thinks that I dress something like this. Besides, these clothes emphasize my 'bad boy stride' and my 'pimp-like smirk'."

While Speedy seems as though he's kidding, his voice sounds extremely irked at the same time. Catching this, Bumblebee rolls her eyes as she gets several steps closer to him.

"If we go meet this girl is she actually going to give us the information she has, or will you two just bicker the whole night? Even if she is a valuable source for the Titans East, I already have a hunch that you two aren't going to get along." Pausing, she adds, "Maybe Aqualad, Mas y Menos, and I should go on our own and leave you here. Things might go better that way."

Eyes narrowing behind the sunglasses, he stands up straight and shoots their leader a look. "No. You're not leaving me out of this. If you're going I'm going too. Besides, you have no idea where the café is at and you don't know what Leila looks like. You couldn't do this without me either way."

Aqualad nods in agreement. "He's right, Bee. In order for this to work, Speedy has to come with us. There's no other option." Hesitating, he looks at his other English-speaking teammate in concern. "But, Speedy, please don't make a scene. Even if you don't like Leila, try to stick it out around her without arguing."

Crossing his arms once more, the irritated look never leaves his face. "I don't see what any of you have to say about it. I'm the only person here who's actually met her."

Ignoring the curt remark, Bumblebee motions to her team as she turns in the direction of the exit. "Come on. Let's get going. We need to leave if we're going to get there early like we planned."

Speedy doesn't say a word and neither do any of the others. They simply follow Bee toward the door. However, before they have time to leave, the screen of the Tower's main console lights up. Thankfully, it isn't because of an alarm or a police report. To their surprise it is because of an incoming message. Based on the words on the screen, the message is coming from the Titans West Tower in Jump City. The moment they catch sight of the words each of them dashes toward the main console. Even Speedy rushes over to the screen, thoughts of his teammates' doubtful attitudes temporarily forgotten.

"A message from the Titans West," says Bee in surprise. "Well, it's about time. It's been two months since they've contacted us."

Nobody has time to say anything more. Less than a second later Robin's face pops up on the screen. Cyborg and Beast Boy can be seen fighting over a video game controller in the background and Raven is sitting on the sofa reading a book. Starfire isn't anywhere in sight, but her voice is heard as she shouts, "Silkie, no! Do not ingest my beloved gorka pipes!" Ignoring what the other Titans are doing, all of their eyes immediately shoot to Robin.

"Hey, Robin," says Aqualad. "You don't usually contact us. Is everything okay?"

The bird boy's demeanor, while not necessarily relaxed, doesn't appear stiff and rigid either. Based on his business-like facial expression, it couldn't be plainer that he contacted the Titans East to give them some sort of news. All of the Steel City Titans guessing this, they crowd closer to the large screen as he speaks.

"Hi, guys. And yes, everything's okay for the time being. I just thought that I'd call and give you a heads up on something; something that could turn out to be very important."

The five Titans exchange glances as Robin's demeanor darkens slightly. Apparently the West Titans are also curious at how the conversation will unfold, as the other males cease their bickering to look at the screen from their end. Raven and Starfire switch their gazes to the screen as well, the dark Titan peeking over the edge of her book and the Tamaranean flying into the shot with Silkie in one hand and alien bagpipes in the other. Not noticing the reactions of his teammates, Robin continues before any of the East Titans can reply.

"A couple weeks ago there was a large scale prison break at the Swarzberg Prison. Over fifty percent of the inmates got loose. We managed to round them up and get them back in their cells with Frostbite's help, but unfortunately there was one villain that we couldn't recapture."

"Yeah," says Beast Boy from his spot in the background, "the one that released all of the prisoners and attacked us with his creepy upgraded shadow monsters."

The moment they hear Beast Boy's words none of them has any doubts as to what villain they're talking about. Eyes widening to the size of saucers, Speedy is the first to make his shock known.

"Hold on. Is this Black Shadow you're talking about?! I thought you said he was locked up in a cell that was twenty levels underground with a level fourteen containment field and lasers surrounding it!" The archer exclaims.

"Swarzberg Prison has some of the tightest security in the country. It's supposed to be inescapable. How does a person break out of a prison like that?!" asks Bumblebee.

The Titans West leader remaining calm, he continues explaining. "We're not sure how he did it. Even with the new abilities he's gained, the level fourteen containment field should have been enough to hold him; but that doesn't matter anymore. The point is that Black Shadow escaped and that, even with our best efforts, he still managed to evade capture. Now he's on the loose and it's up to all of the Titans and the Justice League to keep an eye out for him."

Sounding incredibly surprised, it is Aqualad who responds. "The Justice League? Why are you getting them involved? Don't you think the Teen Titans can handle it?"

"Don't get the wrong idea. The Titans are completely capable of handling Black Shadow. The only reason I contacted them is because of where Black Shadow has been spotted in the weeks since his escape," says Robin, his demeanor darkening further. "Ten days ago he had a run-in with Green Arrow in Star City, and then a week after that he was seen in Gotham looking for a fight with Batman."

Once that last sentence reaches him, Speedy's ears perk up instantly. Apparently the news hits everyone else too, because all eyes turned in his direction. Even the Titans on the Jump City side of the screen gaze at him in curiosity. Not noticing the stares of his teammates or of the West Titans, the young archer speaks to Robin in astonishment.

"Black Shadow went after Green Arrow? Did he pull through okay?"

"He got a few bumps and bruises, but he's alright as far as I know." Pausing slightly, Robin adds, "But that's why we had to inform the Justice League. That way if Black Shadow tries attacking any more of them they know what they're in for. That's also why we're informing you. Somehow he made the cross-country trip from Star City to Gotham in the space of a week. Considering how close Gotham is to Steel City, I imagine that he could make it to you guys too."

Bumblebee gives a reassuring smile. "Thanks for letting us know. We'll be sure to keep an eye out." After a moment of hesitation, she adds, "By the way, I'm sorry he got away. With all five of you and Frostbite working together, I never imagined that you wouldn't be able to recapture him."

This time it is Cyborg who replies. "Yeah. We didn't think he'd get away either…"

"Especially not with Frostbite's awesome mega ice powers," adds Beast Boy from beside the metal man. Then, for the first time since they began speaking, Beast Boy nears the screen and scratches his head in mystification. His head tilted slightly to the side, he asks, "Uh…I don't mean to change the subject here, but when did Speedy join a motorcycle gang?"

Speedy doesn't say anything in response. Not because he doesn't want to, but because his voice would never be able to carry over the sound of his teammates' snickering. Feeling irritated, the young archer senses as his face reddens with irritation and as a vein begins popping. A few seconds later it is Aqualad who answers the green hero's question.

"Speedy didn't join a motorcycle gang. That's just what he wears to pick up girls," says the aquatic man teasingly.

"Yes, but it never actually works," adds Bumblebee between giggles. "The only thing it does is turn girls against him and get him labeled as a playboy."

Mas makes a remark of his own. "La chica no le gusta. Ella piensa que él es un idiota que le gustan las mujeres."

Crossing his arms, he glares at the other members of his team. "You know, for people who keep nagging me to be friends with Leila, you really aren't making it easy."

Arching a skeptical brow, Raven stares at them through the screen from her spot on the common room sofa. "Leila?" she asks in a dry monotone.

Her laughter dying down, Bumblebee explains. "Yes, Leila. She's a source that Speedy hooked the Titans East up with a couple days ago. Based on what she said when she called our extension number, she has crucial information on a criminal we're after. We're supposed to meet her at the seedy café where Speedy first ran into her. She said to wear civilian clothing so we don't stick out."

"In all honestly, we're not sure how well this is going to go. She and Speedy don't really get along. He made a pretty bad first impression at the café the other night," adds Aqualad.

Bee makes one last statement before letting the West Titans speak. "After the story Speedy told us, I'm surprised that she's willing to help us out at all."

Robin replies sounding a tad bit concerned. "You guys are having trouble capturing a criminal of your own? Who?"

"We're not sure who. He doesn't have a name. All we can say is that he's the most irritating thief Steel City has seen in a long time," replies Bee simply.

Understanding that the East Titans have their own criminal situation at hand, the Titans West leader gives a nod. "Okay. Since you have less than a half hour left until you meet this Leila girl, we won't hold you up. If you ever want to contact us, you know the frequency. Robin, out."

With that being said, the screen turns to black and the room goes silent. With the time now being six o'clock and with the café that they have to be at being on the other side of town, the room doesn't stay silent for long. Pushing up his sunglasses, Speedy turns to his teammates.

"We should get going. The café's a long way from the Tower, and you know we can't be late."

* * *

Damiana sits in a large secluded booth in the café's back corner, constantly going back and forth between looking at the door and reading a book she got from the library. She knows that she hasn't been here any longer than fifteen minutes. Yet, for a reason that she can't quite comprehend, it feels like it's been hours. Looking up from  _"To Kill a Mockingbird"_  once more, she glances at the clock rather than at the door. It's only twenty minutes after six. Thankfully there are still ten minutes left until she can officially start wondering if the Titans East will be a no-show. Finally recognizing the turmoil of her inner thoughts, Damiana gives a laugh.

_"For crying out loud, Damiana!"_  the girl says internally.  _"So what if the Titans East don't show up? With your circumstances, it wouldn't be a bad thing if they didn't show up anyway. Honestly. You're a sixteen-year-old girl who is starving to death and always walking the borderline of being homeless. What group of famous superheroes would want to meet with a person like that?"_

It is then that the bell above the door chimes loudly, causing Damiana's head to popup from her novel. Entering the café wearing civilian clothing, as if waiting for their cue, are the five members of the Titans East. If Damiana hadn't been expecting them or if she hadn't seen Speedy up close before, then she never would have been able to guess who they were. Without their uniforms they look like any other group of adolescents that stumbled across the café and walked inside out of curiosity. The way they look around the room as if deciding where to sit makes this seem even more the case. Of course, when Damiana spots Speedy's attire and sees how he performs an overly exaggerated "bad boy walk", the girl slaps a palm to her forehead. If she had any doubts that these were the Titans before, then all of them have just been quenched.

Shaking her head in disbelief, the girl addresses them. Or more specifically, she addresses Speedy. "I don't know if you're dressed like a biker out of a movie to annoy me or to try and make yourself stick out, but either way it's working."

Hearing her voice, all of the Titans turn in her direction. The four that she's never met before study her intently as if they're deciding whether or not she's the right person. The one that she has met, on the other hand, gives his trademark smirk before sauntering over to her booth. Knowing that this must be their girl, the rest of the Titans follow him without saying a word. Once they reach the table Speedy slides in so that he's directly across from her. The rest of them sit down as well, Aqualad and Bumblebee next to Speedy and Mas y Menos next to Damiana; although, they're much more hesitant about it than the redheaded archer.

Arms crossed over his chest in a smug fashion, Speedy is the first to speak. "I knew you would recognize me if I dressed like this. Nobody else believed me, so thanks for proving me right."

She struggles not to smirk back at him as she gives a response. "It would be impossible for me to not recognize you dressed like that. After what I witnessed the last time we were here, it fits your personality quite well."

It is here that his smug smirk turns into a frown. "You know, you're lucky I'm more dedicated to my job than to holding a grudge. I almost considered not showing up tonight."

Damiana arches a brow at his words, not feeling a tad convinced of what he's saying. When his teammates burst into giggles from their places around the table, the girl knows that he was only bluffing.

"What do you mean you weren't going to come?" says Aqualad with a laugh. "When Bee threatened to make you stay at the Tower you were on the verge of throwing a hissy fit!"

"You were the most determined to make it here out of all of us!" exclaims Bumblebee.

Damiana laughs along with them, enjoying meeting the other Titans already. The whole time Speedy sinks down into his seat, grumbling irritated words underneath his breath. A second later when their moment of laughter ends the Titan leader extends a hand.

"I'm Bumblebee, the leader of the Titans East. It's nice to meet you, Leila."

Damiana accepts the handshake enthusiastically. "Hi, Bumblebee. It's nice to meet you too."

The next to offer their hand is Aqualad, who gives her a friendly smile. "Hi, Leila. It's nice to finally meet you. Speedy has told us a lot."

Again Damiana returns the handshake, the whole time arching a curious brow. "Oh, really? Did he say anything good, or am I just that girl who snapped at him and his harem from the stage?"

"Actually, everything he said was about how you're the perfect person to help us find the criminal we're after," replies Aqualad sincerely. "At first we had our doubts that a girl he met randomly in a café would be helpful, but it ends out that Speedy was right."

"Sí," says one of the twins. "No sabemos cómo, pero estaba en lo cierto."

Having just remembered that the twins were there, Damiana turns and exchanges handshakes and multilingual greetings before turning back to Aqualad and Bumblebee. When she's facing them once more she notices that Speedy is sitting up straight, an inquisitive look on his face. The same expression paints over Aqualad's and Bumblebee's faces as well as the faces of Mas y Menos. Immediately Damiana is able to guess that they're ready to get down to business. After a small lapse in dialogue, Speedy is the first to talk.

His serious side taking over, he says, "So, is there any particular reason you contacted us in the middle of the night during a rainstorm?"

Biting her lower lip, Damiana gives a nod. "Yeah," she replies. "It was in the middle of the night during the rainstorm when I came across the thieves. I was on my way home from a late night babysitting job and I took a shortcut through the abandoned part of town. It's a lot quicker than the normal routes people use, so when I'm trekking back and forth across the city I'm in that part of town quite a bit. Anyway, that's where I was when the storm came. I was going to try and make it home, but decided to take shelter in one of the abandon buildings instead."

Before she can continue, Aqualad interrupts. "Hold on. Did you say one of the abandoned buildings? Does that mean there're a lot of them?"

Damiana gives a nod, not hesitating in the slightest. "Yeah. Like I said, it's the 'abandoned' part of town. There were a lot of factories and business there once, but most of the factories were outsourced to places like China and Mexico. The ones that weren't outsourced shut down because there weren't enough resources to keep them going. So, yeah, there are about four or five blocks filled with abandon buildings over that way."

"So is that where you ran into our criminal, then? In one of the abandon buildings?" asks Bee.

Again, the girl nods. "It took a while. A lot of aimless wandering and a lot of boredom, but we eventually came into contact. Or…I came into contact with them… I was kind of sneaking, so they didn't see me. It was tough getting out of there without getting caught, though, I'll give them that much."

Another moment passes them by, Speedy's eyes widening beneath his sunglasses. When he speaks the other Titans' eyes widen as well, immediately catching the exact nature of what she said.

"Wait a second…" he says contemplatively. "You've been saying 'them' and 'they'. As in, there is more than one criminal."

Expression dropping to one of nervousness, possibly even fear, Damiana goes deeper into her explanation. "Um… Well, yes. There is more than one robber. I only ran into two of them, but there could be more." The details of the criminals' conversation return to the girl in a flood, making her even more concerned than before. At last she continues. "Don't get the wrong idea. My goal here isn't to send you into panic mode. It's just that…this thing with the masked criminals…it's pretty serious. A lot more serious than I've been making it sound."

The fear in her features is much more apparent than Damiana originally thought, because the Titans' start looking much more concerned than they did a second ago. Knowing that what the girl witnessed must have been something major, they begin delving for details; all of the important details that she's left out until now.

"How serious are you talking? Is there a major theft operation going on?" asks Bumblebee.

"¿Qué has visto, señorita Leila?" inquires the twins in unison.

Gulping, Damiana explains. "No. There's no major theft operation. What I witnessed wasn't so much about the robberies themselves. While I was there I did some eavesdropping and it ends out that all of these thieves are working for someone. They kept talking about their 'boss' and about how this money is supposed to help buy parts to a machine." Pausing, she takes a deep breath before continuing. "Another thing they mentioned…probably the first thing I should have told you…is that once this machine is built he's going to use it to destroy the Teen Titans. I don't think it's just the Titans East he's after, either. Based on what they were saying, I think he wants to destroy all the Titans…"

Eyes widening to the sizes of saucers, they gape at the girl. While doing so they give a very loud "What?!" in unison. Damiana cringes, praying to the unknown deity that they actually believe her. She's poor, she's been homeless, and she appears wretchedly bony… If she met a person like that and they gave her this kind of news about a criminal, Damiana admits that she would struggle to believe that person. There's no doubt that she's about to run into some skepticism. Once Aqualad speaks this is proven to be true. He isn't harsh about it, but nonetheless his disbelief is plain.

"Wait a second. You're telling us that in the twenty-four hours after you met Speedy, you wandered into an abandon building, saw several heinous criminals, and discovered an evil plot against the Teen Titans just like that? That seems like an awfully convenient coincidence."

Narrowing her eyes at the girl, Bumblebee agrees with the aquatic man. "How do we know that you actually found this kind of evidence? Is what you're telling us true, or is this some sort of ploy so you can meet the Titans?"

Although she saw this coming, Damiana can't help but give a harsh laugh of disbelief. "You people honestly think that I would sink that low? I could be babysitting to get money for my rent right now! I could be out hanging flyers for more cleaning jobs!" Pausing, she adds, "Heck I could have been at home last night catching up on my sleep! I didn't have to call in the middle of the night to let you know that I found a major lead, and I certainly didn't have to take time out of my day to warn you about the dangerous criminal that's trying to destroy you. I could have easily pretended that I saw nothing and kept it all to myself, so you should count yourselves lucky."

The Titans exchange glances, unsure of how to respond to the girl's words. A moment later it is Bumblebee who finally replies. Luckily she sounds curious more than she does accusatory.

"If you have so much on your plate and really couldn't afford to help us, then why did you? It's like you said. You really didn't have to."

Shrugging, Damiana responds bluntly. "Simple. Steel City is where I live and it is the Teen Titans that help protect it. Sure I'm not too fond of the pimp sitting across from me who sent rabid fangirls to attack his teammate, but that doesn't mean that I'm about to let every last Titan get destroyed because of a bad first impression." After a moment of hesitation, she adds, "Also, I'm not about to let them keep what they stole, either. While they were talking, they mentioned checking on a secret underground room beneath the west corridor. Call me optimistic, but that's probably where all of the money and jewelry is hidden. If we can find a way to get down there and steal everything back, then there won't be any money for their boss' machine parts. If they can't build the machine, their plans will get set back and it will give you guys more time to find a way to stop this guy they work for."

Again the Titans exchange glances. When they look back at her, they do so with pleased smiles. Sure they still appear worried about the news she just gave them, but they're happy with Damiana nonetheless.

"You really thought this through, didn't you?" asks Speedy wearing a content smirk.

For the first time since meeting him, Damiana returns his smirk. "After running into two thieves in an abandon building in the middle of the night during a rainstorm, there's no doubt that I mulled over everything I witnessed. I mulled it over very thoroughly."

Crossing his arms, Aqualad speaks in concern. "I guess there's no waiting around anymore. Now that we know exactly what we're dealing with, this calls for a direct confrontation. We're never going to get anywhere otherwise."

Bumblebee nods in agreement. "My thoughts exactly. I think it's time for us to do some searching of our own." Turning to Damiana, she asks, "Leila, do you think you can show us where that building is at? You said you've been in that part of town a lot."

The Dabnodian agrees without hesitation. "Sure. It isn't a problem. Since I spent so much time in that building last night, I might even be able to guess where the west corridor is at."

Bumblebee smiles at her words. "Good. Thanks a lot."

Speedy, on the other hand, doesn't smile at all. He simply looks surprised. "Wait a second? You're coming with us? Why?! You don't have any powers, hero experience, or anything! If our bank robbers are there they could kill you!"

Damiana isn't the least bit worried at his panicked words. Instead she gives an amused laugh. "Speedy, there is absolutely no way that those people are going to kill me. I can defend myself a lot better than you think. Trust me."

* * *

An hour has passed since their meeting with Leila. Even so, their time with the girl is far from over. In less than thirty minutes they're supposed to meet her back in front of the café, and from there she is going to lead them to the abandoned building where she saw the criminals the night before. The Titans East have only returned to the Tower for a short while to change into their uniforms and grab something to eat. Leila, having stayed up late the night before and having worked the whole day through, returned to her home to get a sandwich and take a nap.

Of course, based on the bags that were under her eyes when they were speaking to her, Speedy is fairly certain that she's going to skip the sandwich and get straight to the nap. This is exactly what he's hoping for, too. If they're lucky, Leila might oversleep and miss their meeting. Having no super powers, no weapons at her disposal, and absolutely no hero experience, there is no way that this girl can come with them. If Leila goes with them to hunt these guys down, Speedy sincerely believes that she is going to get herself killed. How she didn't get herself killed the first time she ran into them, Speedy has no idea. She is either very good at sneaking or is just plain lucky. Either way, sneaking and luck won't suffice this time. Before they leave the Tower, this is exactly what he wants to convince his teammates of.

"If you're willing to let Leila come with us to fight dangerous criminals, then you're crazy! There is no way that she's going to be safe! I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but if Leila is with us when we run into these guys, she's going to die."

The five Titans sit around the polished metal table, a box of pizza in between them. For once the pizza goes almost completely unnoticed. All of their focus is on the archer who they're doing their best to reason with. Being the Titan leader, it is Bee who does the most reasoning.

"This sounds very odd coming from you," says the winged woman. "You had complete faith in her yesterday. Now you sound like you think that she's a little woman who's going to get herself killed the moment she walks into the building."

"That's because today and yesterday have a completely different set of circumstances," Speedy replies. "I had faith in her because I knew that she could find useful information. She did, and that's great, but I thought that it would end there. I didn't know that she would insist on coming into the line of fire with us."

This time it is Aqualad who speaks. "Speedy, I'm glad that you're trying to think of Leila's safety, but you're forgetting two crucial facts. One is that we can't go without her because she's the only person who knows which building we're looking for. Not to mention that she also said that she might be able to help us locate the west corridor. Then the other fact, the one that you've been completely overlooking, is that she ran into the criminals all by herself last night and managed to escape from them unspotted. If she's able to do that, then who knows what else she's capable of?"

"Sneaking and fighting are not the same thing, you know. Anyone can hide from someone and not be seen. Kids do it all the time when they're playing hide and seek. Knowing how to fight, on the other hand, is very different. If we come into contact with these guys and a battle breaks out being able to hide and sneak around won't do her any good."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Bumblebee gives him a skeptical look. "Are you sure you're not underestimating Leila just a little bit? You told her the exact same things you're telling us, and all she did was laugh at you. Call it a hunch, but I think that she can probably fight every bit as well as we can."

Knowing that he's not getting anywhere and also understanding that he probably never will, Speedy hangs his head in defeat. "There's no convincing you guys, is there?"

Smiling smugly, Bumblebee gives a shrug. "No, not at all. Besides, if she actually couldn't fight, then she never would've agreed to lead us to the criminals' hideout in the first place."

So occupied are the three English-speakers with their debate that they don't notice as the hour grows later. The only time it comes to their attention is when Mas y Menos alert them.

"¡Se hace tarde!" one of them exclaims.

"¡Debemos irnos!" adds the other.

They turn to look at the clock upon hearing the twins' loud exclamations. Once they do their eyes widen slightly.

"They're right! We're supposed to meet Leila in twenty minutes! We need to go!" exclaims Bumblebee as she jumps up from her chair.

With that being said, the Titans rush out the door leaving over half of the pizza untouched. Speedy still doesn't think that Leila should go with them, but at this point it's no use arguing. He just hopes that if they have to fight anyone they'll be able to keep Leila safe in the process.

* * *

"This is the place? Wow. It doesn't look as creepy as I thought it would."

Damiana stands in front of the wide single-level building along with the Titans East. In the darkness and in the rain the girl remembers that the abandoned structure appeared very spooky. However, in the waning light of the late evening, it doesn't look nearly as frightening as it did the night before. With wooden boards nailed haphazardly over the double doors and graffiti covering the brick walls it certainly looks dumpy, but not exactly creepy. Of course, if they stay here once it starts getting dark, there's no doubt that this will change very quickly. It is because of that last thought that Damiana responds to Speedy's comment as she makes her way to a nearby window.

"Yeah, but that's only because we're here in broad daylight. If we were here in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm it would be a whole different story."

The Titans follow her toward the window without response and without hesitation. In a single swift motion Damiana manages to shove open the window and climb through to the inside of the building. Much to her surprise, the room is still incredibly dim even with the time of day. When Bumblebee climbs inside followed by Aqualad, then Speedy, and then Mas y Menos they notice the exact same thing. After scanning over the room their gazes shift to Damiana.

"Why is it so dark in here?" asks Bumblebee. "It shouldn't be with the sun still up."

Shoving her way past a tipped desk and broken chairs in order to get to the hallway door, the girl gives a shrug. "It could be because of the dirt coating the windows, but I don't think it really matters as long as we can make it to the west corridor and find the secret room they were talking about."

"True," agrees Bumblebee with a smile. "Let's go."

With that being said, they pursue Damiana and work their way toward the door. Once they reach it, they emerge into a dusty black corridor. While the room they were in previously was incredibly dim, there was still enough light to see by. Upon entering the hallway, however, it is discovered that there is almost no light at all. Besides the few slivers of light that filter in from the partially opened doors, the hallway is as black as pitch. For a moment Damiana doesn't do anything. She simply stands in place, contemplating whether or not she should light their path. After everything Speedy said back at the cafe about her not having powers and not being able to defend herself, the thought of revealing her fire powers is more than a little bit tempting. Of course, knowing that she shouldn't pull it out unless she has to, she turns to the dark personas of the Titans to speak.

"Uh…does anybody have a flashlight?"

It is then that two shining beams fill the room, one being held by Aqualad and the other being held by Menos.

"Sí," replies the twin. "Vinimos aquí preparados."

Damiana smiles and nods in response, though internally she's frowning. More than anything she was hoping to use her fire and show them that she isn't helpless. (In reality the only one she cares about proving this too is Speedy, but she doesn't admit that to herself). Then again, it doesn't honestly matter. If she has to break down and use her fire then she will, and if things go smoothly and she doesn't have to reveal her elemental abilities then she won't. As strange as it is, Damiana has to keep reminding herself that she shouldn't let the Titans know about her powers. The strange part of it is that she never would have considered showing anyone her powers a few days ago. It's truly amazing how much a person can change in just two days.

Doing her best to clear her thoughts, Damiana replies to Menos verbally. "Good. That certainly makes things easier."

With that being said, they start their trek through the dusty halls. The moment their journey begins Damiana instantly remembers where in the building they're located. Rather than entering inside through a window at the back of the building like she'd done the night before, they went in through a window not too far from the structure's front doors. Because of this, Damiana can easily tell that the main room she last saw the villains in is at the end of this hallway. They just have to go straight without turning off and they'll be there. Tucking a brown strand behind her ear, she reports this to the group of heroes behind her.

"I know exactly where we're at! This might not be as hard as I thought," she says with satisfaction. "Let's go!"

The group of them switches from walking to a slow-paced run at the comment. The whole time they're careful not to trip over any unseen objects. As they run, Speedy makes an inquiry.

"Where are you taking us? Did you just find out where the west corridor is at?"

"Not exactly," she replies as she continues moving, "but I do know where I saw the criminals at. Once we get there we should be able to figure out where the west corridor is based on that area. I remember the hallway they took, too, so that also helps."

A few seconds later they emerge from the little side hallway into the large main room with the receptionist desk, causing Damiana feel more satisfied than before. Ninety degrees to her right are the double doors that are boarded up from the outside, and ninety degrees to her left is another hallway. Considering its angle behind the receptionist desk, she hasn't a single doubt that this is the same hallway she was spying on the criminals from. She talks to her companions without facing them, attention still locked on the would-be receptionist area.

"When I was here last night they were talking by the receptionist desk. Once they finished their conversation they went down that hallway, so the west corridor must be in that direction."

Knowing where it is they have to go, they walk deeper into the receptionist area and head toward the indicated corridor. Damiana gives a miniscule grin, happy that she's actually being helpful to the Titans. She never planned on coming into contact with them, but since she has she might as well help them in any way she knows how. As long as she remembers to keep her powers secret and to not use them unless it's absolutely necessary, then she can say she had a successful evening. When Aqualad speaks a few seconds later, however, Damiana's smile shifts into an anxious frown.

"Guys. Look at the floor. It looks like something happened in here."

Once the words are out, Aqualad shines his flashlight on the floor near the walls and where they came from in front of the hallway. Running along the perimeter of the room in flawlessly straight lines are wide black scorch marks. The aged carpeting beneath the scorch marks has been charred to complete nothingness, leaving tiny smears of ash along with it. The moment Damiana spots it she struggles to avoid slapping herself. How could she possibly forget about the Master level technique she used to get out of here?! Sure the fire didn't burn down the room, but she should have known there would be at least a little bit of damage left. Her element is  _fire_  for crying out loud! Once the Titans begin conversing, her anxious frown deepens.

"No…" says Speedy in surprise. "There's no way… Are those burn marks?!"

"¿Como sucedió esto?" Menos wonders aloud.

"¿Hubo un incendio?" Adds Mas.

Bumblebee moves closer to the aquatic man and snatches the flashlight from him. Once she has it, she shines it on the floor's center and then moves it slowly upward along the walls. She arches a brow as she does this, appearing both curious and confused.

"Why are the scorch marks only near the edges of the floor and not anywhere near the middle? Now that I'm looking, there aren't any burn marks on the walls either. Whatever fire it was, it doesn't look like it was normal."

The rest of the Titans move closer to their leader and view what it is she's referring to. Going off of their stances and facial expressions, they're every bit as puzzled by the sight as Bee.

"You know, based on how straight and even the marks are, it doesn't even look like the fire was spreading. It looks like it was staying in one place the whole time," says Speedy as Menos shines his light back down at the scorch marks.

"How is that even possible? I'm from the ocean, and even I know that fire is supposed to spread," says Aqualad. After a slight pause he continues. "Maybe this has something to do with that machine that the mastermind behind the robberies is inventing. They could have been testing out a prototype of some sort before Leila ran into them."

The Titans turn toward her at the mention of her name, all of them eyeing her curiously. Not knowing what else to do, Damiana rubs her upper arm and nibbles her lower lip awkwardly. Having no idea what to say she stays quiet. At least until Bumblebee speaks, that is.

"Is Aqualad's theory true, Leila? Did the criminals have anything with them that looked like some kind of doomsday device?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Damiana shakes her head slowly. "No… Not really… To be honest, I don't think that the criminals have anything to do with the scorch marks…"

"Really?" asks Aqualad. "Then who does? Somebody had to do this."

Turning her back to them, Damiana heads in the direction of the needed hallway. "Look. It doesn't really matter, okay? Let's just find the west corridor and forget about it."

Sadly, before the girl can get too far, one of the Titans steps directly in her path of travel. Unsurprisingly, this Titan is none other than Speedy. He stands tall with his back straight, a firm expression painting over his features. This alone is enough to tell Damiana that he has no intention of letting her past. Sighing, she shoots the archer an intense glare.

"Get out of my way, Speedy. There are a lot of hallways in that direction, and we need to start searching. If we don't, then finding the west corridor could take us all night."

"No," Speedy replies firmly. "I'm not letting you get past me. We don't know what made those burn marks, and whatever it is could be back there. If it is and we run into it, you won't have any way to defend yourself. I'm sorry, but this is a job for the Teen Titans."

Arms crossed solidly over her chest, Damiana shakes her head at him in disbelief while giving a harsh laugh. "You have absolutely no faith in me, do you? I have been on my own for the past five years, I spent four-and-a-half of those years' homeless, and the only person who's been providing for me is  _me_. If I can survive on the streets for four-and-a-half years, then I can walk down the hall of an abandoned building without getting myself killed."

Speedy's firm expression lessens slightly, shock taking its place. Damiana has no doubt that the shock is due to the confession she made about being homeless. Giving an irritated sigh, Damiana rolls her eyes before shoving past him.

"Now please get out of my way. I came here to help, and I'm not letting some macho redhead in tight pants stop me."

The moment she walks past him the shock vanishes and the firm expression returns. Of course, Damiana doesn't notice this until he steps in front of her once more. Like before, the other Titans don't intercede. They simply stand back and watch the scene play out.

"Look," says Speedy, "I know you're tough and I know you're smart; that's not a hard thing to figure out. But I'm still not letting you through. These are hardcore criminals we're going to be up against, and I just don't think you'll be safe."

Rolling her eyes once more, Damiana sighs in defeat. Not because Speedy is the one that defeated her, but because she has finally given in to the burning impulse that has been driving her nuts all evening. Shooting daggers at him, the girl speaks boldly.

"Okay, fine," she seethes in irritation. "Do you really want to know where those scorch marks on the floor came from? Is the desire to know eating you up that badly?"

Speedy isn't the one that responds. Instead, the answers come from behind her.

"It's eating me up that badly!" Aqualad shouts in confession.

Mas y Menos reply in unison. "¡Sí! ¡Sí!"

Taking this as the archer's answer, Damiana shifts into a more solid stance and gets into a position facing the wall. "Okay, then. I don't want anything to hit you, so stand back."

Peeking over at him, she notices the concerned look on his face. "Stand back? For what?"

Her answer is simple. "Stand back and I'll show you."

Putting his hands in the air in surrender, Speedy backs up so that he's next to the other Titans. The moment he's out of her range, Damiana takes a deep breath and focuses her energy on conjuring her fire. Luckily conjuring her fire takes less than an instant. Before the Titans have a chance to blink, let alone wonder what it is she's going to do, two long streams of fire are released from the palms of her hands. They're aimed directly at the brick wall, charring the bricks so that they're completely black. Luckily, the fire doesn't seem to do any damage besides that.

It takes roughly ten seconds, but eventually Damiana allows her fire to dissipate. She gazes at the fire's results, impressed with how her streams of fire left two perfect circles. In all her years she's never been able to draw a perfect circle with a pencil and paper, but somehow the circles her fire streams create always look flawless. Except for the tiny indentations in the middle, that is... Shoving a strand of false brown hair out of her eyes, Damiana turns around to face the Titans. Their eyes are as wide as disks and their jaws have dropped practically to the ground. Of course, she doesn't care about the rest of the Titans' reactions. The only one she cares about is Speedy. Raising a skeptical brow, she walks over to him slowly.

"Still think that I can't defend myself? It's true that I don't use my fire too often, and maybe I'm a little rusty, but I can still fight if someone crosses me. I'm not nearly as helpless as you think."

Crossing his arms over his chest and pointing his gaze to the ground, Speedy's face turns a bright shade of scarlet. "Well, yeah, I know that now! How was I supposed to know that you can shoot fire out of your fingertips like Azula's twin sister?!"

Shrugging, Damiana replies with an awkward smile. "Actually, you weren't supposed to find out about my powers at all; none of you were. The only reason I showed you is so you don't think you have to protect me." Pausing, she adds, "But in all other cases, I avoid using my powers as much as I can. When people find out that I can use fire it usually gets very dramatic very quickly."

"Dramatic?" asks Aqualad curiously. "What do you mean by that?

Again she shrugs. "Oh, nothing much. I was run out of a town by an angry mob once, a woman tried calling in the marines to detain 'the horrible fire creature' (even though I only used my fire to roast marshmallows for her children), and then there was an old man who tried to shoot me because he thought I was a witch. So, yeah. People aren't exactly fond of my powers. They think its…weird…"

To her surprise, none of them glares at her or continues to gape at her. Instead they smile, almost appearing pleased that they've learned about her hidden abilities. A few seconds later Bumblebee walks over and places a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be like that. Remember, you're talking to a winged girl that can shrink, twins that can run super fast, and a guy in a unitard that can talk to sea creatures. When you're with us, there's nothing weird about you." She gives the girl one final smile before turning and waving to the rest of her team. "Now come on and let's get moving. We'll never find what we're looking for if we keep standing around."


	7. Part I: Inception: Chapter Seven

_Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Seven**

"This is all that's here? You have to be kidding me!"

If Speedy says that he's never felt irritated before, then he's lying. There have been many occasions when he has felt annoyed, most of them consisting of those days when girls use him to get to Aqualad or when civilians refer to him as  _"that powerless East Titan with the arrows"_. Right now, however, Speedy feels more irritated than he ever did in any of those situations. After spending ages collaborating and trying to pinpoint which corridor out of the two-dozen hallways is the west corridor, all of their efforts have amounted to nothing. This isn't the first time they've been wrong, either. So far, this is their fifth failed hallway.

Hearing his complaints, Bumblebee responds to him. "Don't jump to conclusions just yet, Speedy. Who knows? There might be something here."

His bland expression morphing into a critical frown, the archer looks up and down the empty hallway from his place in between Aqualad and Leila. There's no demolished furniture lying around, there are no doors leading to other rooms, there isn't anything. All he can see are brick walls, wooden planks on the floor in place of the musty carpeting, and a dead end. Crossing his arms, he looks at the Titans East leader in puzzlement.

"I still don't get what you're talking about. The only thing here is an empty hallway."

The next one to speak is Aqualad. "That could be true, or maybe it's not. I think we should take a closer look."

"I think we should too," adds Leila in agreement. "This is the only place in the building where there isn't any carpeting. Not just that, but the wood looks pretty new compared to everything else we've seen."

More than anything, Speedy wants to shoot the fire user a glare. She already made him look like an over-protective moron by pulling her impressive superpowers out of nowhere. What is she trying to do now, make him look like an even bigger idiot? Yet, despite his urge to argue with her, he decides to give a civil response. They are after dangerous criminals, after all. Quarreling would only get in the way of their goal.

Giving an internal sigh, he turns to her. "In that case, can you give us more light? Even with the flashlights, it's pretty dark in here."

Leila replies with a nod and a "Yeah, sure". Half a second later a soft orange glow fills the room, the result of a small flame that dances in the brown-haired girl's palm. As strange as it is, Leila's fire manages to light the area better than the Titans' high-quality flashlights. Satisfied with how well he can see, (though he would never admit it out loud), Speedy looks the hallway over once more. The moment he does this he immediately sees that Leila's assumption was correct. The wood covering the floor does look extremely new. Also, it is placed at an odd angle with small gaps in between several of the planks.

Appearing outwardly surprised, he says, "Okay. I see what all of you are trying to say. Maybe we should search this hallway before we move on. It might actually be the right one."

"' _Might'_?" asks Leila skeptically.

"Yeah. We don't know anything for sure. For all we know, there could be ten other hallways that are completely identical to this one."

"Exactly," Bumblebee agrees from Aqualad's opposite side. "So it's time for less talking and more searching."

The Titans spread out and search the area without another word. Leila searches as well, doing her best to maintain the flame in her hand while doing so. What they're looking for they're not exactly sure. The only thing they know is that it has to be a switch or a knob of some sort that will reveal the entrance to the secret room. It is because of this that Aqualad, Bumblebee, and Leila step on individual floorboards with much more force than necessary, hoping that one of them will sink down and act as some sort of button. Meanwhile Speedy and the twins press down on the bricks in the wall one-at-a-time in hope of the same result.

Approximately twenty minutes passes as they search the corridor thoroughly, not gleaning any results and looking like weirdos in the process. It doesn't take Speedy long to revert back to his original opinion that there's most likely nothing in this hallway and that all they're doing is wasting their time. Now that he thinks about it, a smart criminal would never put the entrance to a secret room here. With how empty it is and how new the floor looks, this part of the building sticks out way too much.

Turning away from his place near the wall, he is about to share these thoughts with the others. Before he can, however, one of the twins shouts something in Spanish. Even after being on a team with them for almost a year and a half, he still can't understand a word they're saying. Of course, he doesn't need to. With the amount of pride ringing through his voice, it's very apparent that one of them just came across something important.

"¡Creo que encontré algo!" shouts one of the twins joyfully.

Turning toward the tiny twins, Speedy watches as Mas presses down on a brick located in the middle of the third row from the ground. Two seconds later the brick sinks inside the wall and the ground begins to shift. As they feel the ground tremble, those who were standing in the center of the floor jump to the edge of the corridor next to Speedy and Mas y Menos. Once everybody is safely out of range, they watch as several of the wooden planks sink down into the ground in order to form stairs. The whole time the group of them exchanges pleased glances, feeling very satisfied at the level of progress that has just been made.

Bumblebee turns to face Mas with a beaming smile. "Great job, Mas! Later, all of us owe you a big thank you!"

"No fue un problema. No hay necesidad de agradecimientos," replies Mas with a shrug.

From here all of them turn silent as they make their way down the stairs with caution. Even if this is exactly the thing they were searching for, the need to be careful very much exists. Without knowing the exact number of masked henchmen or who it is they're working for, there's no telling what they might run into when they reach the end of the staircase. It is because of this that they stay close together and do their best to keep the area lighted. Aqualad with one flashlight, Menos with the other, and Leila with an orange flame dancing in her hand, there's not an inch of darkness to be seen.

It takes several minutes, but eventually they reach the foot of the stairs. None of them can tell how large the secret room is or what it contains. The area is washed in darkness so dense that even their flashlights can hardly penetrate it. It is because of this that Leila creates a flame in her other hand as well and causes both of them to grow in size, setting the room in a soft glow. Speedy watches as Aqualad, who is now standing right next to Leila, gives her a smile of gratitude. The archer wants to do the same thing, but immediately decides against it.

"Thanks for the light," says Aqualad. "Now maybe we can find a light switch."

As if on cue, bright florescent light fills the room from overhead. Each of them shifts their attention to the left side of the room and notices Bumblebee standing next to a lever in the brick wall.

"Found it!" she chimes proudly. "Now let's take a look around."

Turning around, they take in the large expanse and all of its contents. The moment they look, their eyes widen in surprise. When coming down here the first thing they expected to see were piles of money as high as their Tower or three-dozen masked men waiting to fight them. While the money is still sitting around in piles exactly as they predicted, there's something else here that they weren't quite expecting. In the middle of the room is an incredibly large table that is twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide. Of course, it isn't the table itself that disturbs them. It is what the table contains.

Their senses still on high alert, the Titans and the fire user saunter closer to the said object. As they do so they can't help but feel increasingly disturbed. Spread out all over the tabletop are replicas of at least a dozen cities. They aren't cheap replicas made out of cardboard and crayons, either. They're incredibly realistic without a single flaw to be seen. There are windows on the buildings, streetlights that actually change color, yellow lines going down the middle of the streets, there are even flowers on some of the bushes in the parks and ducks in the ponds. Whoever created these, it's obvious to everyone that they certainly put in a lot of effort.

As Speedy looks at the cities, he reads the labels that are taped down in front of each one. There's a replica of Metropolis, one of Gotham, one of The Hall of Justice, and much to his concern, replicas of Jump City, Star City and Steel City. Arching a brow beneath his mask, he clutches his bow and moves closer the Steel City replica. When he looks he can't help but feel both amazed and freaked out. There are banks where the banks are supposed to be, the jewelry stores are in the proper places, there's even a Lola's Café! When he peeks at their Tower, it's every bit as accurate as the rest of the city. Curiosity growing, he squints his eyes and peeks inside the mini Titans East Tower.

Sadly, the inside of it isn't empty. Upon gazing inside the front window, he sees an exact replica of the common room. There's the main console, the kitchen, Aqualad's pools, and the stairs leading out of the common room to the rest of the Tower. Feeling more disturbed by the moment, he leans in closer and peeks in through the Tower's other side where his room is supposed to be. When he sees a miniature version of his bedroom with everything from the maroon carpeting to the extra bow he has leaned against the wall beside his bed he releases a shudder.

Without looking away from the mini Tower, he speaks to the others. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting severely creeped out. Whoever this guy is, he made an exact replica of my bedroom! He even remembered the  _Skillet_  poster I have on the wall next to my desk!"

Sounding equally disturbed, Aqualad replies. "I know. It's the same with the Titans West Tower. Somehow he even managed to make a replica of Raven's room!"

At last Speedy pulls away from miniature Steel City and faces the others. Everyone else pulls away from the replicas they were looking at as well in order to speak. Based on their facial expressions, they aren't taking this any better than the redheaded archer.

"This criminal must be planning to do some real damage to these places," says Bumblebee contemplatively. "He wouldn't need any of these replicas unless he's using them to figure out how he's going to strike."

"Exactly," Aqualad replies. "That's why we need to gather more information and figure out how to counter-strike. Otherwise the Teen Titans might be done for."

Leila, who is currently scanning over the miniature version of The Hall of Justice, replies to their comments curiously. "Okay, I know that those two guys only mentioned destroying the Teen Titans, but right now I'm wondering if they might be after the Justice League too. I highly doubt that he built in-depth replicas of the cities of Justice League Heroes because he had extra supplies."

Turning to the side, Speedy begins eyeing miniature Star City. As he does this he can't help but agree with her. Not just because of the evidence sitting in front of them, but because of another reason as well. It isn't a hard thing for Speedy to figure out, really. If the rest of his teammates remember what Robin said when he contacted them earlier, then they should know what he's talking about.

"Guys…" he says slowly, "I think Leila might be onto something. Robin did say that Black Shadow escaped prison and that he's been spotted all over the country. The person in charge of the masked criminals and who plans on destroying the Teen Titans with this machine he's building? It's probably Black Shadow."

Speedy looks up from the Star City replica and looks at his teammates as he waits for a response. Opening her mouth partway, Bumblebee appears ready to speak. However, she doesn't get the chance. Before she can utter a word, the lights begin flickering and the air is filled by the sound of a deep, menacing, disembodied voice.

Upon hearing this, the Teen Titans and Leila leap away from the table. Speedy immediately removes an arrow from his quiver and holds his bow at the ready. Bumblebee takes out her stingers and holds them in front of her threateningly as Aqualad and Mas y Menos take on their own threatening stances. To Speedy's surprise, Leila doesn't respond any differently than the rest of them. Rather than looking frightened, she stands firmly and conjures long, thin, strands of fire. Speedy isn't sure what to describe them as, but they almost look like fire whips.

Meanwhile, the voice speaks to them in a tone that sounds both malicious and pleased at the same time. "Well, what a surprise. First I get to see the Titans West and now I'm being paid a visit by the Titans East only two weeks later. This is really turning out to be a productive month for me. After spending a year in solitary confinement at the Swarzberg Prison, productivity is a good feeling to have."

Recognizing the voice the instant he hears it, Speedy begins looking around the large expanse in determination. If there's one voice that every Titan should be familiar with, then it is definitely Black Shadow's. The Titans West team may be his favorite heroes to mess with, but that doesn't mean that they're the only team he's ever caused trouble for. To put short, Black Shadow definitely knows how to get around. Even if they've only faced him in battle once prior to this, right now isn't proving to be any different from last time. Speedy's only hope is that this time maybe they can capture him.

Feeling every bit as tense at the situation as the redheaded archer, the rest of the Titans eye the room in the same manner. Leila, too, gazes carefully at their surroundings; though her eyes are filled with caution more than they are determination. If he could, Speedy would take a moment to give her a quick synopsis of the situation. Not to mention, he would also like to throw in an  _"I told you so"_ at the fact that a dangerous villain actually did show up. Of course, once Bumblebee replies to the unseen criminal, Speedy realizes that both of these things will have to wait.

"Where are you hiding, Black Shadow?! Come out here and face us!"

Upon hearing the winged girl's demand, Black Shadow responds in mock offense. "Come out there? Honestly, Bumblebee. Why would I do that? I've been traveling around and exerting energy for weeks now. With as exhausted as I am, there's no doubt that I would lose." Pausing, he adds with a sarcastic laugh, "Who knows? You second-rate Titans might actually come close to beating me this time. I could get splashed to death, or stabbed with an arrow."

Despite the fact that he tries to keep his outer calm, Speedy can't help but grimace at that last remark. Why is it that everyone always degrades his arrows? Have people forgotten how many times he has helped save the day with his arrows?!

Meanwhile, Aqualad speaks to the villain in irritation. "All you're doing is stalling, Black Shadow! If you're not going to come out, then at least tell us why you're here and why you've been targeting Justice League heroes!"

For some reason the more the Titans speak with him, the more amused he sounds. "You found out that I'm targeting Justice League heroes already? You Titans are smarter than you look. How did you find out? Have the Titans West been tracking me, or did my replicas give it away? If it's my replicas, then let me tell you that Hobby Lobby isn't cheap! I ended up having to steal from there, too…"

Eyes narrowing under his mask, this time it is Speedy who speaks. "We don't care about your creepy replicas! I'm not even going to ask how you built an exact copy of my bedroom! The only thing we're interested in are answers! Tell us now, or we'll beat them out of you!"

Sounding more amused than before, the villain sounds nearly ready to burst into guffaws. "Beat them out of me? You honestly think that you can do that? The Titans East couldn't even win the last time we fought!"

All of the sudden, Black Shadow's laughter stops as do the flickering of the lights. The Titans along with Leila grow wide-eyed as this happens, each of them exchanging surprised glances. A moment passes and they begin thinking that the villain simply deserted them. That, however, is when they are proven wrong. Before any of them has a chance to blink, a black, shadowy, tentacle shoots out from one of the piles of money and shoves Speedy roughly by the shoulder.

Feeling incredibly disturbed, the archer releases a startled shout before shooting an arrow in the tentacle's direction. It takes less than a second for the arrow to make a direct hit, leaving a hole in the shadowy limb before dissipating altogether. It is only after this happens that Black Shadow begins laughing once more. The only difference is that, this time, it isn't from a hiding spot.

The first thing to emerge from one of the numerous piles of money is an odd-looking three-dimensional shadow that is in the form of a shapeless blob. A second later a male torso and a head begin to form as well as arms and legs. As they form, incredibly pale skin starts to appear, along with beady hazel eyes, and short coffee-colored hair. By the time he has completely emerged from the pile of money, he is standing on the cement floor in the form of a medium-height man wearing a charcoal black jumpsuit. Nonetheless, the Titans don't let his nonthreatening form deceive them.

As he's standing in front of them with his arms crossed leisurely, Black Shadow speaks. "The Titans East's spunky redhead is still as good a shot as ever, I see. I bet Green Arrow would be proud. Wouldn't he, Speedy?" Shaking his head as if he'd just remembered something, he adds, "Oh, that's right! You haven't talked with the guy in five years! That sure is an easy thing to forget! Sorry. I don't mean to rub salt into old wounds."

Cringing in anger, Speedy shoots another arrow at the villain's upper torso. Sadly, even if it makes contact, Black Shadow manages to turn that part of his body into a shadow and allows the arrow to pass through. As this happens, the man shrugs.

"Wow, that was a close one. You almost got me."

Narrowing his eyes beneath his mask, Speedy seethes, "Are you going to keep making cheap shots at us, or are you going to tell us what you came here for?"

He doesn't look at her directly, but the archer still sees out of the corner of his eye as Leila lengthens her fire whips. By now her expression of caution has been replaced by one of curiosity and a hint of nervousness. Leaning in closer, not to him but to Aqualad, the young fire user speaks.

"Do you think you could tell me what exactly what we're dealing with here? I've never heard of this guy before in my life!"

Aqualad doesn't have time to respond, and honestly, Speedy didn't expect him too. All it takes is a single instant for Black Shadow to convert back into shadow form, disappear, and re-emerge behind Leila. Somehow he goes through the stages of transforming from shadow to human more quickly than the human eye can see. Then, before any of them knows it, the pale-faced villain has one arm wrapped around Leila's waist while he uses the hand on his opposite arm to grasp the girl's chin.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Sunshine. You'll know who I am soon enough. Believe me."

It is here that Speedy removes several more arrows from his quiver. Based on the way she squirms under his grasp and on the expression of disgust that paints over her features, Leila wants nothing more than for the man to release her. The whole time the villain wears a twisted smirk, most likely sickly amused by the struggling girl in his grasp. Speedy can't quite place why, but for some reason the sight makes him want to beat Black Shadow senseless. Loading three arrows in his bow, this is exactly what the young archer is preparing to do, too. A second later, however, Speedy's efforts are proven to be very unnecessary.

Her emerald eyes filling with anger, Leila takes hold of the wrist Black Shadow uses to grasp her chin with one of her fire whips. The moment the fire makes contact with his skin, the villain releases a shriek of pain prior to being forcefully pulled away from her. Once Leila is free, Speedy watches in awe as the brown-haired girl flings him into the air, releases him with one whip, grabs hold of his ankle using the other, and hurls him across the room. When the villain lands it isn't in one of the soft piles of money, but atop the large table containing the replicas. When he releases an additional yelp of pain, it is very apparent that art supplies from Hobby Lobby do not work well as cushioning.

Meanwhile, the fire user shouts at him in fury. "Don't ever touch me again! Next time you lay a hand on me, I won't hesitate to reduce you to ashes!"

Groaning in agony, Black Shadow removes several pieces of sky scraper as well as a tiny traffic light from where they became embedded into his left shoulder. The whole time each of the Titans glance from Leila to Black Shadow and back again. A moment after their shock passes, each of them gives the girl a smile of approval. All besides Speedy, who gives a nod along with his trademark smirk.

Leaning slightly closer, he remarks, "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Rolling her eyes, she replies to the archer bluntly. "It's too late for that."

It takes a moment, but at last Black Shadow recovers and works his way to his feet. When he glares at the Titans it isn't at the whole team, but at the fire user specifically. Rubbing his shoulder tenderly, the villain speaks at last.

"When the Titans pick others to back them up, they definitely pick people who are spirited. I can't decide who's worse, you or Frostbite."

Noticing the villain's weakened state, the Titans decided to use this as an opportunity to strike. Wings moving rapidly, Bumblebee flies over the man in a single swift movement and aims her stingers directly at him. Meanwhile, Mas y Menos go over to him as well and run around him in a rapid circle that is faster than light. With the three of them working together, one would think that they would be able to do at least a scant amount of damage. It's only too sad that this is not at all the case.

When the tiny twins halt in their movements and when Bee ceases in shooting her stinging bolts at him, it is clearly seen that he has vanished completely. Not a single trace of the man is left; not a hair or a shadow. Expressions of irritation cross the faces of the six youths along with surprise. After the hit he took from Leila, it was assumed that he would slow down at least a little bit. As the lights begin flickering again and as his voice sounds off out of nowhere once more, their irritation grows and their determination to capture the villain returns full-force.

"Well Titans East, catching up with all of you and getting to meet your fiery little friend has been fun, but unfortunately the fun can't last forever. It's time to get down to business." Giving a dark chuckle of amusement, Black Shadow continues. "You've been wanting to know why I showed up in Steel City of all places? To put simply, I've discovered these fantastic methods of how my shadows and technology can work together, and it has given me some great new ideas for inventions! So, I thought that I would test one of those inventions out. Originally I planned on using them against Justice League heroes, but then I decided to test them on the Titans East first. After all, no villain ever suffered from starting out small and building his way up."

Angered by the villain's words, not to mention curious, Speedy opens his mouth partway in preparation to speak. Based on the demeanors' of Aqualad and Bumblebee, they were preparing to say something as well. Of course, as is partially expected, the chance to address the villain once more never comes. All of the sudden the flickering of the lights increases, and the ground begins to shake rapidly. The table of destroyed replicas begins falling apart even more, and money from the various piles in the room flies up into the air like a flurry due to the movement.

Less than a second is what it takes for the Titans to regain their footing. Even Leila is able to adjust to the shaking in an incredibly swift manner. Once they're standing firmly against the awful trembling, they begin scanning the room with their eyes once more. With Black Shadow running the show, it's already bluntly obvious that this is in no fashion an earthquake. When they see the table sinking into the floor and the money being forcibly sucked into hidden vents in the walls, it is discovered exactly how true this is.

"¡No!" Shouts one of the twins as the contents of the room disappears. "¡Él está tomando el dinero!"

Sighing, Aqualad states, "Of course. He couldn't just leave the money here. That would make our job of returning it too easy."

After the room has been completely emptied out, that is when the section of floor where the table previously sat raises back out of the floor like a platform. The whole time the gap in the floor widens to make more room for the much larger platform that comes up. It is certainly larger than the portion of floor that held the table. It is only when the rising platform reveals several dozen robots that the group of teens discover why this is.

They aren't at all similar to the robots they fought when Brother Blood infiltrated their Tower, but instead are completely different. Rather than being bulky, gold, and having Cyborg's arm cannons, they have a medium build that is very similar to Black Shadow's own height and size. Not only that, but their torsos and heads are black with dark blue stripes running down the sides while their arms and legs are silver. Nobody knows what color their eyes would be due to the fact that the robots seem entirely vacant at the moment, but if they were functioning, Speedy assumes that their eyes would be red.

All of the sudden, a large amount of clanging comes from multiple areas of the spacious room. Looking around at their surroundings, it is seen as many more robots are shoved out of gaps in the walls and as more rise up out of the floor on additional platforms. By the time the clanging stops and the room is completely still, it wouldn't surprise Speedy if the number of robots was over two-hundred. Nonetheless, the redhead still manages to give a sarcastic snort.

"Robots? Is this really the best you can do? We've fought plenty of robots before."

"You're going to have to do a lot better than this to beat the Titans!" exclaims Bumblebee.

The unseen villain replies with false exasperation. "Sometimes you Titans hurt my feelings. You honestly think that my robots are that weak. I have always been the underestimated one. Even in grade school! Mrs. McDaniel was actually shocked when I got a C+ on my spelling test instead of an F!"

Black Shadow pauses in his speech after this. Normally he pauses only to be dramatic, but this time it is proven to be exactly the opposite. During the lapse in dialogue, several large shadows emerge from their places hidden amongst the robots. As they emerge they float to the center of the room and come together to form a large three-dimensional sphere. The sphere doesn't appear perfectly round like a bowling ball. Rather, the surface of it is rippling and unstable, making the tightly-knit ball of shadows almost seem like a floating sphere of oil.

As the seconds pass many more shadows come out from their hiding places to join the sphere, causing it to grow to a staggering size. Becoming slightly nervous at the sight, the Titans and Leila back away from the enormous thing by several feet. Even so, none of them hesitates to take on fighting stances and to hold their weapons at the ready. Glancing over at Leila, Speedy sees as she makes her fire whips thicker. The girl's stance is solid, and the courage and determination in her eyes can't be missed. Shifting his gaze away from Leila and back to the sphere, Speedy can't help but think that he underestimated her severely.

His bow and arrows pointed at the enormous ball the color of oil, the archer watches alongside the others as it grows several sizes before bursting. When it bursts it is instantly discovered that the contents of the sphere weren't aimed at them. Instead, the shadowy fragments make their way toward the robots. They inch along the floor toward the machines and crawl up their metallic legs to their chests almost like worms. Then, the moment they come into contact with their chests, the shadows seep into the metal completely. The instant this happens their mechanical eyes light up the color of pure soot. Then they move.

A single swift motion is all it takes for the black-eyed robots to completely surround the group of six, not leaving a single open space for escape. Speedy doesn't know how to explain it, but these robots are different from any type of machine that they've faced before. It isn't just their size and how fast they can move, but it's their eyes. Somehow the fact that they're black instead of red like he'd expected makes something about them seem…darker. It's like little pieces of Black Shadow are embedded into these robots, along with his psychotic intent.

Meanwhile, the unseen villain speaks once more. "Let me assure you that these robots are neither an F nor a C+! My henchmen and I worked hard to craft these guys, so they're not worth anything less than an A! Now you Titans going to see what it's like to fight three-hundred A+ robots!" Giving a slight pause, Black Shadow says only a single sentence after this. "Robots, attack mode!"

Speedy only has time for one last thought before jumping fully-fledged into battle.  _"You've been talking about how well you can fight, so now is the time. Show us what you've got, Leila!"_

* * *

When first meeting up with the Titans this evening, Damiana knew that they would most likely run into a criminal of some sort. Sneaking around inside of a criminal's hideout looking for stolen money and any other incriminating evidence that could help them figure out what this criminal is planning? It would be ridiculous for her to think that they  _wouldn't_  run into a bad guy! Then again, Damiana wasn't expecting to fight a criminal on this kind of scale either. It is true that the alien girl has never once heard of Black Shadow. Yet, even if she has never heard of him before today, Damiana can still tell exactly how diabolical this guy is.

The moment she heard his voice, she knew that their situation wasn't good. When she looked into his cunning hazel eyes after he revealed himself, it became very apparent that Black Shadow is different from the henchmen she ran into the night before in the worst kind of way. Then, the moment he touched her, Damiana immediately realized that he isn't a villain that a person should ever take lightly. Right now as they're surrounded by several hundred robots in this massively expansive room, Damiana's assumptions have been solidified beyond the point of no return.

Speedy is on one side of her, Aqualad is on the other, and Bumblebee stands back-to-back with the fire user. Mas y Menos are somewhere within the group as well, but because they aren't directly beside her, Damiana doesn't take notice of them. Instead her false green orbs stare the charcoal-eyed robots down intensely. Out of all the times to join the Titans in one of their battles, it had to be against an evil, shadow-using, maniac, who decided to test his robots out on them.

 _"Don't complain, Damiana,"_  says the girl to herself.  _"There's no backing out of this now. Since you're here with the Titans, fight like a Dabnodian!"_

Directly after the thought, Damiana hears as the villain known as Black Shadow gives a shout.

"Robots, attack mode!"

All it takes are those three words for the machines to charge forward. Some of them run while others jump at extreme heights in attempt to land on top of them. Much to Damiana's expectations, this is all it takes to drive the six of them apart. Bumblebee flies into the air, taking out several robots with kicks and others using her stingers. Mas y Menos run at a rapid speed, knocking over as many of the machines as they can. Meanwhile, Aqualad is in another part of the room breaking pipes with his Atlantian powers in an attempt to short them out with water.

In contrast, as the rest of the Titans fight in far off parts of the room, Speedy is about twenty feet away from her. The whole time he shoots down robots with incredible perception and speed. Damiana would never admit it out loud, but with or without superpowers, Speedy is amazing in combat. He's remarkably fast with his bow, he always knows which arrows to grab, he can use his bow to block if he needs to, he knows martial arts, and the redhead can jump at incredible heights. Even if Speedy is an arrogant playboy, there's no denying the fact that he is an amazing superhero.

Blowing a false brown strand out of her face in irritation at the thought, Damiana grabs four robots at once with her fire whips. With two being held by one whip and with two in the other, the girl throws them high into the air with ease. Once they're airborne, the girl extinguishes her whips and replaces them with a long, thin, blade of fire. A person would never be able to tell just by looking at it, but this flaming blade is sharper than any Earthly blade of metal. The fire blade is the first technique Damiana mastered when she was small, and it's still the technique that she's the proudest of.

Extending her fire blade, Damiana thrusts it into the air and cuts through the machines multiple times. By the time they make contact with the ground, they are nothing but dismembered pieces of tin. Electricity can be seen pulsing through them as the metal twitches slightly, but it is very apparent that they won't be coming after her again anytime soon.

Several more of Black Shadow's machines charge her after this, the young fire user taking them out in the exact same fashion. The girl fights them off ferociously. Sometimes she throws them into the air with her flaming whips and tears them apart with fire blades. Other times she slams them to the ground from extreme heights using her whips and watches as they break apart like glass. Then, if she is surrounded by as many as seven at once or more, Damiana will pull out another move that she hasn't used in ages known as her fire breath.

By focusing the energy from her second heart to her lungs instead of to her hands, she enables herself to breath fire. Not only that, but when it comes out of her mouth as opposed to her fingers, it burns five times as hot. When she uses her fire breath not only do the machines break apart, but they end up half melted.

So focused is the girl on fending off the robots that she barely notices as she's being backed up toward the stairs. Neither does she notice as the scrap pieces of metal from the previous robots mysteriously vanish. With the number of robots coming against her raising from five at once to ten at once, Damiana honestly doesn't have enough time to focus on anything besides combat. If she removes her eyes from one of them for as little as three seconds, it could mean letting them get the better of her. Not yet ready to be defeated by walking chunks of metal, Damiana keeps backing toward the stairs.

By this point she is directly in front of the first step, eleven of the machines completely blocking her from going in any direction other than backwards. Taking in a deep breath and holding it momentarily, Damiana exhales a second later with a relentless torrent of orange flames. The girl's fire burns so hot that the flames can be heard as they roar viciously. As they burn, the echoing sound of screeching metal is heard as the robots fall apart and collapse to the ground.

Knowing that she won't be able to use her fire breath to such a large extent once she's in the stairwell due to the closed-in space, Damiana does her best to rush to another part of the room. Unfortunately for the Dabnodian, she doesn't get more than two feet away from the stairs. Before Damiana can blink her false green eyes, there are ten more robots trapping her in the exact same location as before. Growing frustrated, Damiana releases a low growl prior to melting them down with her fiery breath once again.

"This is ridiculous!" exclaims the girl as seven more robots appear in the place of the previous ten. "It's like these things are coming out of nowhere!"

Summoning a pair of lengthy fire whips, the girl picks up four of the robots, raises them high into the air, and slams them to the ground with brutality. Extinguishing her whips and bringing forth a fire blade, she prepares to take out the final three. There is nothing she wants more then to destroy Black Shadow's endless machines, so this is all she is focused on. Thus, why Damiana is surprised when an arrow hits each of the robots in the chests simultaneously and takes them out rather than her fire blade. Eyes widening, Damiana turns to see the redheaded archer standing directly beside her.

"I know what you mean. It's been like this for me, too. I don't know where they keep coming from, but it's like Black Shadow's stupid robots are endless!"

Upon seeing him, Damiana can't help but groan internally. Of all the Titans in this room, why is  _he_  the one standing beside her? Why not Aqualad, or Bumblebee, or Mas y Menos? Not at all happy to see the archer, Damiana is completely prepared to snap at him. However, due to the twelve additional robots that show up in place of the seven defeated ones, the remark never leaves her mouth. Instead, in light of their rather intense situation, she decides to respond civilly.

"Whatever your villain _'Black Shadow'_  did to these robots, he definitely did a good job. Even with three hundred of them, it seems like the number of them should be going down by now."

Breaking out her fire whips, Damiana takes four of them and slams them down against the hard floor. That single hit is all it takes for them to fall apart. Then, breaking out her fire blade, she tears apart two more. Meanwhile, Speedy takes out the other six robots by shooting arrows into their chests. With regular arrows this doesn't seem like it would work, but when Damiana sees how they send electrical pulses through their mechanical bodies she understands completely. It only proves how he always knows which arrows to put to use.

It takes a moment, but still he replies. "I know. I've noticed that, too. We need to figure out how Black Shadow is controlling them fast. Otherwise we could end up fighting these things all night."

"Easier said than done," replies Damiana bluntly. "It's not just electricity that powers these things, but  _shadows_. I've never even heard of this criminal before, so don't take what I'm saying too seriously, but I have a feeling that the only person who knows how these robots work is Black Shadow."

To both Damiana's and Speedy's disappointment, more robots show up yet again. The only difference is that this time instead of twelve there are fifteen. If she could, Damiana would take the whole lot of them out with her fire breath. Of course, considering how Speedy is standing so close to her, there is no possible way for her to do this without charring him to death. Even so, the girl is certain that she can take at least a few of them out without harming the arrogant archer. As long as he complies, that is…

Sighing internally at what she's about to ask him to do, Damiana turns to face him. "Get behind me, Speedy. Now."

It's only too bad that they're surrounded by robots at the moment, and that the other Titans are too busy battling to see the expression on Speedy's face. The mixture of bafflement, shock, and offense is completely priceless. Were the situation different, Damiana might actually chuckle.

As he replies, he shoots down three of the robots in a swift manner. "Get behind you? Why would you ask me to do that?! What, do you think my arrows are weak?!"

Rolling her eyes, Damiana takes out four of the robots out with her fire whips. "No, I absolutely do not think that your arrows are weak! I want you to get behind me because you're in my range! Unless you want to be incinerated, you need to get behind me so I don't kill or disfigure you!"

It is only after her explanation that Speedy complies. Even so, it is still with slight reluctance.

"Fine. If you insist, then I'll get behind you. I really don't feel like dying by fire today, anyway."

With that behind said, Speedy gets behind her in a single leap. Once he's behind her, after double-checking to make sure that he isn't at all within her range, Damiana exhales a torrent of burning fire. As soon as it makes contact with the machines, they instantly melt apart and collapse to the ground. The whole time the echoing screeching of metal can be heard, as well as the intense roaring of the inferno. Damiana doesn't notice, but Speedy gapes in awe as she takes out the eight final robots.

A second or two later, once all of the machines are incapacitated and her fire is extinguished, Damiana turns to face Speedy. When she looks at him, the Titan doesn't return her gaze right away. He looks from the half melted pieces of metal, to the fire user, and back again. The whole time the expressions of both shock and amazement are very apparent across his features.

Crossing her arms, Damiana looks at him sternly. "If I tell you to get behind me, it would be best if you do it. When my fire burns, it _burns_. The last thing Steel City needs is a cremated Titan."

Returning Damiana's gaze, he gives a nod at last. "When you ask me to, I'll get behind you. Just don't ask me to do it too much. Me and my arrows are just as good in a fight as your fire."

Turning away from him to see approximately twenty more robots heading in their direction, the girl replies easily. "I never said that your arrows  _weren't_  good in a fight. You are a Titan, after all."

She doesn't catch it due to the machines that are rapidly closing in on them, but Speedy completely regains his arrogant trademark smirk at her words. Somehow, as he begins shooting down robots with glowing arrows, it stays perfectly in place.

"It's good to know how you really feel. I guess you don't hate me as much as I thought."

Scowling, Damiana destroys her share of the robots with a fire blade and the occasional flaming punch while responding. "Don't jump to conclusions just because I admit that you're skilled with a bow. You're far from my favorite person on Earth, but if we have to fight together, so be it."

Once that is said, the two fall to silence and begin rapidly taking down robots. Working together using arrows and fire, they manage to make the metal machines drop like flies. At some point, they have taken out so many that there is a perfect semi-circle of broken metal surrounding them. Because of this, it would normally be assumed that they're making progress in causing the amount of robots to diminish. Oddly enough, however, this isn't the case even a little bit.

No matter how many robots fall, more robots always seem to appear. For every robot that gets destroyed, it's like two more pop up in their places like some kind of hydra. After several minutes of relentlessly fighting them, and three more attempts at using her fire breath at a level that won't harm Speedy, the duo discovers that they can no longer avoid being backed into the stairwell. This happens much to Damiana's dismay, as she won't be able to use her fire breath at all with Speedy in the stairwell with her. With such a limited amount of space, he will never be able to stay out of her range!

Growing desperate as an uncountable number of robots purses them up the stairs, Damiana sends a bout of flaming punches in their direction. Five of them tear into pieces and are sent tumbling down the stairs as she does this. Following her punches are a lengthy fire blade, six more of them becoming scrap metal before crashing down the stairs and out of sight. Meanwhile Speedy rapidly fires his arrows, taking out at least ten of the machines. Even so, this still isn't enough. Once this group of robots is defeated, more appear than ever before.

Shoving a strand of hair out of her face using her upper arm, Damiana shoots a series of flaming streams at them while verbally expressing her agony. "Nothing we do is working! The things I would sacrifice to use some of my high-level techniques right now! I could incinerate all of them in less than a second!"

Not once hesitating in shooting his arrows, Speedy responds sounding equally tense at their situation. "Then why don't you do it?! Can't you use your dragon breath or something?!"

Tossing several robots down the stairs using her fire whips, the girl explains in slight irritation. "First of all, it isn't 'dragon' breath. The correct terminology is 'fire' breath. I'm a humanoid life-form, not a lizard. And secondly, my fire breath is impossible to use right now, along with all of my other highest level techniques. With the limited space, the whole three-hundred-and-sixty degrees surrounding me is my range; you can't escape it." Pausing, she adds with sarcasm, "I guess I could try it, but I think that the Teen Titans and the Justice League would be upset if I incinerated you."

Growing even more desperate, Speedy begins shooting arrows double-time. The fact that he can shoot arrows faster than he was shooting them previously is amazing to Damiana. Of course, this isn't her primary focus. Rather, her main focus is on destroying a half-dozen robots at a time using her fire blade. Meanwhile, the archer speaks once more.

"I'm not trying to put pressure on you, but is there any way for you to use your fire without burning me to death? Maybe if I go to the top of the stairs, I can get out of your range."

Pausing slightly, Damiana observes their surroundings. The walls on either side of the stairwell are only four feet apart. Not only that, but even if the top of stairs is a good thirty feet away, it still isn't far enough for Speedy to get out of her range; not if she plans on using her fire breath at its full strength. With the amount of robots pursuing them, anything less than her full strength would be completely pointless.

Sighing in a mixture of disappointment and strain, she replies to him. "Nope, it's no good. The walls are too close together for me to use my full strength. Even if we get out of this stairwell, the hallways in this place don't give me much more room. Without enough space, my powers are limited."

More robots coming at them, the duo backs up the stairs by several more feet. Arrows fly and so do flames, but this doesn't do much to deter them. As they fight, Speedy speaks while sounding a bit more anxious than he did prior to her explanation.

"Okay, so your powers are limited and so are my arrows, and we're separated from the rest of my team and can't really depend on them at the moment. Things could be looking better for us." After a slight pause, he continues. "I know that this question is probably pointless, but are there any moves you can think of to take these things out? Anything at all? I only have so many arrows!"

Apprehension filling her voice, she exclaims fearfully, "Are you serious?! You're not out of them, are you?!"

"Not yet, but I'm getting close," replies Speedy bluntly. "If they keep coming at us like this, I'm only good for another twenty minutes; probably less."

For once, Damiana's sigh is external rather than internal. Also for once, her sigh sounds strained rather than annoyed. They're having trouble keeping these endless machines at bay, now! How are they going to do it once Speedy runs out of arrows?! It's true that she doesn't like Speedy, but the alien girl has to admit that she doesn't mind being around him right now. Admittedly, he is very helpful in a fight. At least when he has arrows, anyway. Once they're gone, what is he going to do? Whack at the robots with his bow?!

Groaning in irritation as she takes out a dozen more the machines with dual flaming streams, Damiana begins wracking her brain for a solution.

 _"Come on, Damiana, think!"_  the girl says to herself.  _"You were learning Master Level techniques at seven years old while the other children were just learning to harness the energy from their second hearts! You could decipher ancient languages that Queen Guayusa's scribes couldn't figure out, and you could learn new languages three times as fast! If anyone can figure this out, it's you!"_

By this point, the two adolescents have been pushed from the stairwell completely and have emerged against their will into the hallway from which they came. Even so, the two never hesitate to continue fighting full-force. The whole time Damiana continues to think as hard as she can manage while holding the metallic enemy at bay.

So far she has considered every fire technique she has in her arsenal; even her Master's Level techniques for some reason or another. Yet, she isn't able to use any of them. Sure with an extremely powerful move she has mastered such as the fire flood or the flaming coffin she could have these robots destroyed in less than an instant, but that would destroy Speedy too. She might not care much for Speedy, but she doesn't want to kill him! Then there are some fairly powerful moves where Speedy might be able to get out of her range, but those aren't any good either. They might keep the archer alive and uncharred, but they won't get the job done with the robots…

_"Gah! Why won't any of my fire techniques work?! There has to be something I can do here!"_

Then, directly after Damiana's frustrated self-talk, that is when something finally occurs to her. She has only been considering her fire techniques! The more she thinks about it, the more the girl realizes that she could have had all of these things destroyed ages ago if she'd only been thinking beyond her fire! Then again, it isn't too surprising that she didn't think of it sooner. Only one in every ten fire users on Dabnod had access to the specific ability she wields, so not too many Dabnodians had this technique mastered. With a lack of others to teach her, Damiana isn't overly skilled in using it either. It is a very difficult move. Thus, why most fire users preferred to stick with fire…

As the girl puts a bit more consideration into the idea, she can't help but grow nervous. Not only did she not have this technique mastered before her planet got destroyed, but she hasn't used it in years! If it was shaky then, then it is definitely shaky now!

Forcing herself to calm down, the girl speaks to herself once more.  _"Come on, Damiana, right now is no time to think about the details! This is the only move you have that will take out the robots before Speedy runs out of arrows! It's this or nothing!"_

The girl's emotions must be outwardly plain, because all it takes is a single glance for the archer to be able to guess that she thought of something. Rapidly shooting down robots as they turn the corner from this hallway and down another, he speaks to her.

"The look on your face is an interesting one. Did you think of something?"

Pursing her lips together anxiously, Damiana nods. "Yes, I did. It's been a while since I've done this technique, but with you running low on arrows, it's all we've got." The girl sprints ahead of him down the hallway while continuing. "Come on! I need your help luring the robots to this one part of the building! It's completely made out of stone and metal, so it's the best place to do it at."


	8. Part I: Inception: Chapter Eight

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Eight**

Even if he only figured out about her fire-wielding powers a few hours ago, Speedy has never been more thankful for Leila's abilities. Without Leila helping him take down Black Shadow's endless robots, there isn't any doubt that he would have run out of arrows ages ago. Not only that, but he wouldn't have been able to come up with a plan to temporarily escape these things on his own, either; not with another robot popping up in the place of each one they destroy.

Speedy doesn't say any of this to the girl as he runs alongside her through the dusty corridors of the abandoned building late at night, but all of the thoughts are real nonetheless. He might not be too fond of Leila, but he has to admit that he likes having her as an ally during a fight. To put short, her fire-wielding abilities are incredible! Not to mention that even if she doesn't like him, she still takes careful measures to avoid burning him. That alone lets him know that she doesn't hate him too much.

As they sprint down the hallways, shooting arrows and streams of fire at the robots as they rapidly pursue them, Speedy notices as Leila eyes the corridors curiously. The expression on her face is an intense mixture of anxiety and desperation, making it known that she is nervous about this plan of hers. Until now, he'd never paid it any attention how bluntly her emotions show on her face. The girl, despite her otherwise cold exterior, is an open book in some ways.

At last Leila speaks, bringing Speedy out of his thoughts. Once the girl shares her plan, the archer immediately understands her nervousness. Admittedly, what she says makes him nervous too…

Sprinting down the hallway with brown hair askew from fighting, she speaks rapidly. "Okay, we're almost there. It has been a while since I've done this, but I still think I can pull this off with help." Giving an aggravated sigh, she continues. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going to need you to cover me for a minute while I'm trying to separate the energies. I won't be able to use my fire while I'm forcing them apart, so I'll be completely open to attack. It's because of this that I'm going to need you to fend off the robots."

Eyes widening beneath his mask, Speedy makes a frightened exclamation. "Hold on… You're not going to be able to use your fire _at all_?! And what do you mean by  _'a while'_?! If you haven't used this move in ages, then is this plan of yours even going to work?!"

The irritation in her voice is very apparent. "It doesn't matter how long has passed, okay?! If I did it before, then I can do it again! This is a move that is going to take out every single robot on this building's upper level  _without burning you_!" Irritation never leaving, she asks, "Are you willing to cover me while I separate the energies, or not? If not, then I'm not even going to try using this technique, because I won't be able to pull it off otherwise."

Giving her a glance, the archer nods firmly in spite of his uncertainty. "Don't worry about the robots. Just do what you need to do. I've got your back." Hesitating momentarily, he adds, "You should probably try to work fast, though. It's like I said; I only have so many arrows."

Leila, too, gives a nod. "Don't worry. Working fast is part of the plan. I won't make you fight them off by yourself for too long, and once the energies are forced apart, you won't need to."

Interest growing, the archer quirks his brow in curiosity. He has already tried ignoring her odd statements and refraining from asking this question, but he can ignore it no longer.

"Leila, just out of curiosity, what do you mean by _'separating the energies'_? What kind of move are you trying to do?"

Turning the final corner of the long corridor, the two emerge into a large room crafted out of stone and metal. It isn't as large as Black Shadow's secret room under the west corridor, but it is definitely still a sizable one. Speedy doesn't know for sure, but he would say that this room used to be a large storage room or some sort of cafeteria. Meanwhile, as they back up to the room's farthest corner, Leila responds to his inquiry.

"Explaining the science of it doesn't matter. All that matters is the result." Getting behind Speedy, the girl lowers herself into a crouching position so that he completely blocks her as she continues. "Now cover me. Black Shadow's robots are coming in here, and I need to do this fast."

* * *

This isn't the first time since coming to Earth that Damiana has questioned why her life turns out the way it does. At first the question was simply _"Why did Dabnod get destroyed?"_  Then, after a few months of being on Earth up until a few days ago, the question was  _"Why do I always have to struggle to survive? Will there ever be a day when I don't have to worry?"_  And now, Damiana's most recent question,  _"How did I get pulled into coming here with the Titans?"_

The fates definitely enjoy messing with her, the girl is certain of that. Even so, the girl doesn't care too much about the events of her life at the moment. Instead all of her focus is on holding her arms approximately three inches apart with the forearms facing upward. Using the most intense kind of concentration she can manage, Damiana feels as she forces the energies that combine to make her fire apart. As a direct result, the girl watches as small spurts of blue electricity pulse back and forth between her two forearms.

Damiana can remember the very first thing she was taught as a child when first learning to properly wield her element. It is the same thing that every child on Dabnod had to learn. They were always taught about how Dabnodians have two hearts, and how each heart has an individual purpose.

One heart, her father told her, is the equivalent to the hearts of humans and the wizards from Azarath. Their first heart pumps blood through their first set of veins and gives life to the body. The second heart, on the other hand, is very different. A Dabnodian's second heart pumps a mixture of energies through their body using a separate set of veins. Her father explained very thoroughly that the energies the second heart produces is what causes their hair and eyes to change color, and gives them the ability to connect with their elements in order to wield them.

Then, after learning the basics, she was taught how to harness her second heart's energies in order to get the results she wants. Producing fire using her hands, for example, forces Damiana to keep the mixture of energies completely even. Breathing fire using her mouth forces her to make sure that one of the energies is higher than all the rest. With master level techniques, each of the energies her second heart produces soar high above their normal levels, flooding her veins and causing her hair to turn to fire. Then, with lightning, there isn't a mixture at all; rather, the energies are forced apart.

Forcing the energies the second heart produces apart isn't something that's easy to do. It goes against a Dabnodian body's every natural impulse, and in some cases, the body fights and forces the energies back together. Some Dabnodians never learned how to keep them apart long enough to produce anything of significance. Thus, why there weren't too many fire-users besides Damiana who could actually produce lightning. If the girl hadn't been so determined to prove herself, then she most likely never wouldn't have learned how to do it either.

Remembering how her mother and Saeran always tried to get her to stop attempting lightning almost causes the girl to chuckle. It's a good thing that she was a stubborn little girl. She and Speedy would never be able to escape these robots otherwise.

Forcing the energies apart more so than before, Damiana watches as the scant amount of blue static transforms into large electrically-charged bolts that buzz with power. It has taken her seven tries to separate the energies so far, and thirty seconds for each try, but this time it finally looks like she has it. Based on the stinging she feels flowing through her second set of veins as the energies fight to come back together, the girl is absolutely certain that the energies have been separated accurately.

Meanwhile, as the girl struggles to get to her feet due to the harsh pain, the redheaded archer addresses her nervously.

"Leila, please tell me that you've almost got it! I'm running low on arrows over here! If you don't get it soon, both of us are done!"

Wincing in agony, she replies without hesitation. "Don't worry, Speedy. I've got it. Get over here, and hold onto me."

It's obvious that her words catch him off guard, because he glances at her in a mixture of shock and amusement. The whole time he continues shooting down robots, which are now rapidly pouring into the room. Upon looking around, Damiana can't help but be surprised. Somehow, in the space of three minutes, there is nearly four times the amount of robots coming after them than before. Besides the four feet of space surrounding her and the archer in this room's back corner, there are robots standing shoulder-to-shoulder with more entering the room every second.

The only thing that breaks Damiana's eyes away from the sight is Speedy. Despite the severe situation they're in, the archer decides to take a moment to use her words against her.

"Hold onto you? This is a bit sudden coming from you, Leila, but we can cuddle if you really want to," he remarks teasingly.

Damiana manages to roll her eyes through the intensifying of the pain. "I don't mean it like that! Get your mind out of the gutter! I need you to hold onto me so my attack doesn't harm you!"

Shooting down several of the robots, Speedy turns so that he's taking in her full image. By now Damiana's lightning has increased tenfold, the blue electricity completely surrounding both of her forearms and looking as though it is ready to break away from her. The girl tries to keep it under control for a moment longer in spite of the enormous amount of pain that runs through her veins. In the meantime, the expression of utter shock on Speedy's face is one that is far too priceless.

"Is that… _lightning_?! How can you use lightning?! I thought that you could only use fire!"

"Nope, I can use lightning too. It's a lot harder to use than fire, but I can still use it." Pausing, she asks, "Now will you please grab hold of me so I can let go of it already? It's getting really hard to keep under control! Keeping the energies separated isn't feeling too pleasant right now, either."

Giving a firm nod, Speedy complies and rushes over to her. Even so, he doesn't grab hold of her right away. Appearing very uncertain at the sight of her, he makes another inquiry.

"So…you're telling me that if I hold onto you…that your lightning _won't_  hurt me?" Hesitating slightly, he continues. "It's not that I don't trust you. I'm just not sure about this… If holding onto you won't stop your fire from killing me, then what's stopping your lightning from killing me?!"

The girl gives a sigh as the pain becomes practically unbearable. "Touching me won't stop my fire from burning you because fire harms the outside of the body. No matter what type of fire it is, it is never going to burn me; my body is impervious to fire. The same can't be said for you, so touching me won't help when it comes to fire.

"As for lighting, rather than acting as the creator, I act as a conductor. If you're making contact with stone or metal then my lightning will hurt you, but by using me as an anchor, your physical contact with me overrides your contact with the other parts of the room. Because of that, rather than getting electrocuted, your body will act as a conductor the same as mine." Pausing, she asks with thick sarcasm, "Is that enough of an explanation, or do you need me to draw out a diagram?"

To put bluntly, Speedy still doesn't appear convinced. With the powerful buzzing of the lightning that Damiana is holding and how it leaps about as if ready to kill, the alien girl honestly doesn't blame him for being skeptical. However, as the robots close in on them leaving them less than a foot of space, it is plain that all forms of skepticism immediately fly out the window for the archer. Before the robots can make a final strike, Damiana feels as muscular arms gloved in red wrap tightly around her waist. His bow can be easily seen in her peripheral vision, telling her that he didn't bother taking time to tuck it away.

"You know what? I have absolutely no reason not to trust you. Take these things out!"

Damiana doesn't respond verbally. Instead the girl gives a small smile prior to spreading her arms outward. That seemingly insignificant action of spreading her arms is all it takes for the girl's lighting to fill the room to capacity. Once her power is released, the room is filled with an iridescent electric blue glow along with the vicious zapping of super-charged electrical pulses. To put simply, it feels like the two of them are in the middle of a violent lightning storm.

The girl can feel as the electrical energy courses through her body in incredible pulses and as her second heart's natural energies collide back together. Luckily there isn't any pain. Rather, the feel of the lightning racing through her veins and turning her hair to static make the girl feel an unbelievable sense of power that her fire has not yet matched. As a child, this is part of the reason she liked to use her lightning; the feel of it is painful while you're still holding it, but invigorating once you let it go.

In the meantime, Damiana can feel as Speedy tightens his grip around her waist. She can't tell if he's frightened by the feel of lightning coursing through his body without harming him, caught off guard by it, or both. Either way, all that matters to her is that he isn't screaming in pain or being electrocuted. Not only that, but the sight of each and every one of the robots collapsing to the ground matters to her as well.

Through the curtain of electric blue, she sees as the robots eyes blink from black to nothingness several times as if they're attempting to repair themselves. Meanwhile the lightning completely fries their circuits from the inside out, damaging them beyond repair and causing them to collapse to the ground lifelessly. Not only that, but it isn't just the robots that are being irreversibly damaged. Looking around, Damiana sees as large holes form in several of the walls and as one massive hole is created in the floor approximately ten feet in front of them.

For an entire sixty seconds this continues, the sounds of ferocious electrical zapping, the booming of bricks, and the crashing of metal filling the room. To Damiana's relief, Speedy doesn't once let go. Under normal circumstances she would be repulsed by the fact that he is tightly embracing her, but right now she is just glad that he isn't one of the things in the room being zapped to death.

At last, after what feels like ages, the lightning finally comes to a halt. With the electric blue mist completely vanished, the wreckage of collapsed robots, crumbled bricks, and gaping holes are all that is left for them to look at. Surprised at the unbelievable amount of damage that a single bout of her lightning was able to do, the two don't move. Instead the stay where they're at and gape at the damage. Unsurprisingly, the first to break the silence is Speedy.

"Wow. That's some effective lightning."

Shoving a strand of false brown hair behind her ear with an index finger, Damiana gives a nod. "It's more effective than I imagined it would be. I knew that it would destroy the robots, but I didn't think it would do anything to the walls and the floor." The girl doesn't know why, but for some reason she gives a small chuckle. "Then again, it has been almost five years since I've used it. I suppose I forgot how much damage my lightning can do."

Though she isn't facing him, the girl can tell just by his tone that he's smirking. "That's a nice laugh you have there. I like it. Now all we need is for you to smile."

It is only after he says this that the girl realizes that the archer is still holding her around the waist. His arms are wrapped tightly around her midsection, the archer holding her so close that her back is pressed up against his chest. Damiana has no idea how she didn't notice the close amount of contact earlier. Neither did she realize how strong his arms and chest feel. Without the robots and the lightning to distract her, it comes to her realization that Speedy is a pretty muscular guy. Coming from a Dabnodian girl who grew up around knights who were built like body-builders, this is a truth of the most genuine sort…

Blushing profusely at the nature of her thoughts, Damiana scolds herself. _"What the heck are you doing? Don't think of him like that! He's an arrogant playboy! Make him let go of you, idiot!"_

Clearing her throat, Damiana addresses him sounding very uncomfortable. "Uh…Speedy? The lightning is gone. You can let go now."

Much to Damiana's discomfort, her protests don't work. Instead Speedy snuggles up against her and rests his chin on her shoulder in a teasing manner. By this point she doesn't only feel his muscles, but also his body heat. When he chuckles she feels the warmth of his breath as well, causing the scarlet color of her cheeks to intensify. Damiana is praising the fates right now for the fact that it's dark. Maybe he won't notice her blushing.

Unfortunately for Damiana, once he replies, she learns that this isn't so.

"Are you sure you want me to let go, Leila? You're pretty snuggly. You're warm, too. Though I'm not sure if the rest of you is as warm as your face is right now."

Chuckling once more, he pats one of her cheeks playfully with his much larger hand. Having never been this close to a boy her age before, Damiana can't help but feel uncomfortable at the amount of physical contact. Now that the lightning is gone, much like was stated earlier, the archer's embrace completely repulses her. Or at least that's what she tells herself, anyway…

An agitated scowl crossing her face, the alien girl stomps on his foot and kicks him hard in the shin before shoving him away from her roughly. It is heard as Speedy gives a loud _"ouch!"_  following the kick she gave him to the shin. Upon turning around to face him, Damiana sees as he jumps around the room holding onto one of his boot-covered legs in pain. The girl does her best to maintain her scowl, but instead replaces it with her own brand of smug smile.

"I told you to let go of me, didn't I? Next time let go of me, and this won't happen."

The archer returns the smirk in spite of his agony. "It was worth it just to see you blush."

It is only after this that her smirk fades. "Don't get any ideas. There is a such thing as blushing in irritation, you know. I'm not exactly a Speedy fangirl."

"I know. I can tell," he replies while rubbing the front of his leg and wincing slightly. "If there's one thing I can say for you, it's that you're definitely not the fangirl type."

Damiana has no idea why, but that last statement of Speedy's causes her smile to return. For some reason, what he said feels like the nicest thing that anyone on Earth has ever said to her.

"Thanks. I'm glad to hear it," she says kindly. Then she adds, "We should go find the rest of your team. They're probably wondering where we're at."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Bumblebee can't remember ever having been surrounded by this many robots at once before. She has taken many of them out by flying above them and zapping them with her stingers. Others she has destroyed by kicking them with her heeled shoes or punching them with her fists. At times when there have been far too many surrounding the woman for her to handle on her own, Aqualad has swooped in with a wave of water and caused them all to short out. Occasionally Mas y Menos will run by and cause them to go flying as well. Yet, despite all of their efforts, Black Shadow's metal concoctions still go undefeated.

The winged leader of the Titans East stands back-to-back with Aqualad, such a dense amount of robots surrounding them that they don't even bother counting. All they know is that the amount is massive, almost like a sea of metal, leaving them no room for escape. Knowing that they aren't going to escape this situation easily, the duo works together to take down the robots like the team they are.

Using her stingers, Bee zaps ten of the robots as quickly as she can manage and causes each of them to collapse to the ground about a second apart. Once they're down, she flaps her wings rapidly and takes to the air. As soon as she's above them she gives each of them swift kicks along with zapping them with her stingers, forcing the machines to go flying across the room. The whole time Aqualad brings pipes out of the ground with his Atlantian powers and floods out the remaining robots, not leaving a single machine left standing.

Meanwhile Mas y Menos are close by, running rapidly and setting robots awhirl before they have a chance to reach their two teammates. It is only too sad that, despite the twins' best efforts, a multitude of machines slips past them and make their way toward Aqualad and Bumblebee. The moment they reach the winged woman and the Atlantian the cycle of zapping them down and flooding them out starts all over again.

While busting pipes and flooding out robots, Aqualad shouts to Bumblebee who is dashing through the air with her wings. The desperation in his voice is evident.

"It would be great if Speedy was here right about now. His arrows would really be useful!"

Shooting down two robots with her stingers and giving four of them swift kicks to the chest, Bee replies sounding equally desperate. "I know. I'm feeling the same way, but there's nothing we can do about it. The robots got in between us and separated him and Leila from the rest of the group. If they're attacking them as heavily as they're attacking us, I doubt that they're going to get here to back us up anytime soon." Pausing, she adds in concern, "I hope they're doing okay."

"Yeah," adds Aqualad as he punches a robot that survived his water attack. "I hope so, too."

After the words are spoken, another mass of robots makes their way past the twins and surrounds the duo. This group being a bit larger than the previous, they are once again preparing to fight giving it their all. It's too bad for Black Shadow that he chose this team of young heroes rather than a different one. The man has to be learning quickly that these teens do not give up easily.

Then, right as Bee is preparing to zap several of the machines with her stingers and as Aqualad is getting ready to bust open more pipes, something very unexpected happens. One moment the room is completely stable, no breaks in the walls or in the floor besides the places where the aquatic Titan brought forth the pipes. Then, a second later, sections of the ceiling begin collapsing all over the massive, factory-sized, room.

To the Titans' complete and utter shock, bricks come crashing down out of nowhere as well as cement and enormous pieces of drywall. Brown eyes widening, the female Titan flies out of the way of several pieces before they crash into her. Aqualad is directly below her on the ground, jumping out of the path of the debris like they're bullets. Mas y Menos dodge the falling wreckage as well, running at the speed of light while screaming in panicked confusion.

"¡Ah!" screams Menos. "¡El apocalipsis se acerca!"

Meanwhile Bumblebee shouts as well, a wild torrent of blue electricity clearly visible through one of the gaps in the ceiling above her head. "What's going on?! Is this one of Black Shadow's tricks?!"

Aqualad replies to her from the floor below, his eyes widening in shock. "I don't think so, Bumblebee. Look!"

Shifting her gaze to where the aquatic Titan is standing, the woman watches the scene he speaks of with her mouth hanging agape. To her amazement, the robots have stopped moving completely as if they're frozen in place by some type of unseen force. A moment later their eyes, which were previously as black as the night, flicker between color and being completely blank.

A full minute passes, the electric blue lightning continuing above Bumblebee, the debris still falling, and the robots continuing to glitch. It is only after what feels like ages that all of this comes to an abrupt halt, the lightning and falling bricks ceasing and the machines clattering to the ground unresponsively. The whole time neither Aqualad, nor Bee, nor the twins has any idea what to make of the sudden turn of events. Instead, once the danger is past, they make their way toward each other and stare at the wreckage in a state of shock.

"Well…I guess we won," states Aqualad bluntly. Nonetheless, he is still confused. "Go team?"

Looking around at the fallen robots, and then up at the holes in the ceiling, Bumblebee considers Aqualad's statement. Honestly, she is every bit as confused as her teammates. Where the heck did the lightning come from, anyway? And why did Black Shadow's robots suddenly collapse? All in all, this situation makes little to no sense. Not only that, but before they have time to try and piece things together on their own, an all too familiar voice comes from behind them.

"This is such a disappointment. Test number one was an absolute failure! My henchmen said that these robots were unaffected by lightning! It's too bad they forgot to mention that they're only immune to lightning in small doses, and that large amounts of it will cause all of the robots to shut down even if only a few of them are affected." Giving a sigh of aggravation, he adds, "My henchmen are such idiots. I should have made the robots myself and left the replicas of the cities to them."

His voice catching them off guard, the four Titans whip around in the direction of where they think his voice is coming from. Much to their surprise, Black Shadow isn't hiding in the walls with the shadows like usual. Instead he is squatted down next to one of his robots, his narrowed hazel eyes looking it over in disappointment. Pulling it closer to him, he opens up the chest cavity and peers inside. After shaking his head in displeasure he slams the chest cavity shut, stands up, and kicks the broken down piece of tin aside.

"It really is such a shame. I was so proud of them, too. They were supposed to be my first legendary feat of how my shadows and technology can come together. What a laugh." Turning his gaze away from his ruined creations, the villain lifts his head up and faces the Titans with an impish smirk. "I don't know where you picked your fiery little friend up at, but that girl is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She was able to destroy all of my robots in one shot with the help of Green Arrow's plucky redhead. Congratulations."

Bumblebee feels as her eyes widen at Black Shadow's claim. She doesn't look at Aqualad or at Mas y Menos, though their facial expressions match her's exactly. Not knowing how to respond other than with surprise, the Titan leader speaks to the villain in spite of the fact that she should truly be attacking. Nonetheless, there is still a good dose of aggression in her response to him.

Marching over to the brown-haired criminal with her heeled boots clicking against the cement, Bee grabs him forcefully by the collar of his black jumpsuit. Once she has him, she pulls him down so that they're at eye level. The whole time the woman glares at him with fury in her gaze. When Black Shadow continues to remain calm and smirking, this only causes her to grow all the more angry.

"Don't play games with us, Black Shadow! Did Leila and Speedy really pull off destroying all of these robots, or is this another one of your tricks? You'd better start spilling now, or I plan on putting you in a world of hurt!"

A long moment of silence passes as the Titans wait for him to respond. Much to their aggravation, he never does. Instead he remains calmly in Bumblebee's grasp, smirk never fading and a sickening brand of amusement flickering darkly in his gaze. He and Bumblebee have a staring contest that could have very well lasted all night if the girl hadn't continued shouting.

"What did I say about playing games with us?! What's with your obsession over the Teen Titans and the Justice League?! Why did you rob all of those banks and jewelry stores?! What are you planning?! If there's one thing that I know for certain, it's that those robots of yours are the tip of the iceberg of a much bigger plan! The Titans East aren't stupid, Black Shadow, so start talking!"

It takes a moment, but at last Black Shadow replies. At first it is with devilish chuckles, and then with actual words.

"If you aren't stupid, then why do you have more questions than answers? I've been planning my revenge against the hero world for a long time, Bumblebee, and I don't plan on ruining it by giving everything away. It's true that Speedy and your fiery death goddess surprised me by destroying all of my robots, but the losses are nothing compared to the reward that's coming."

Again Bumblebee glares at him. "Reward? What reward are you talking about?"

Before Black Shadow can respond, Aqualad asks the man a question from a few feet away. It isn't a secret that the aquatic man sounds increasingly disturbed.

" _'Fiery death goddess'_? You do realize that Leila is still a teenager, right?"

Shrugging, the villain responds nonchalantly. "Yes, but I don't see why it matters. She has to be about sixteen or seventeen, and I'm not exactly elderly. I'm twenty-two! Evil mastermind or not, I'm a man with needs." After a slight pause, he responds to Bumblebee's question. "And when it comes to my reward, don't stress yourself out thinking about it. You'll see what it is in time. All of you will see."

With that being said, the villain turns from a three-dimensional person into a two-dimensional shadow in less than an instant. Because of this, he slips away from the girl's grasp easily. A second later he reappears approximately five feet away from them, being a three-dimensional human once again. Appearing incredibly smug, he continues speaking.

"Well, Titans, the night has been interesting. I look forward to seeing you again after I up my game a bit. This might take a while, though. Plans take time, and I see no reason to rush things. It's not like the Titans and the Justice League are going anywhere."

Hesitating in his speech once more, Black Shadow raises one of his hands into the air slowly and intentionally. Having no idea what he plans on doing, Aqualad, Bumblebee, and the twins immediately shift into their defensive stances. When an odd black orb forms in the palm of his hand, the four are already moving toward him in preparation to attack. As they do this, Black Shadow chuckles.

"Don't be so quick to jump the gun, Titans. There's no need for that."

Less than a second afterward, the black orb transforms from a shadowy sphere into a medium-sized, metallic, object. Admittedly, the object doesn't look like much. It is a silver and blue semi-circle with the top of if colored black. There are silver buttons running along one of the two vertical blue stripes that the object contains, and the other blue stripe contains a strange keypad of some sort. To put simply, the metallic object that Black Shadow holds looks like an odd type of machine.

Staring the man down threateningly, Aqualad demands, "What is that machine your holding?! Something you're going to use against the Teen Titans and the Justice League?!"

Looking from the metallic semi-circle, to the group of four, and back again, Black Shadow gives a shrug of false innocence. A second after this the man takes the object and rolls it across the floor in the heroes' direction. At first they think that he plans on doing something with it, but to their surprise and their concern the machine doesn't do anything. It doesn't beep, it doesn't flash, and nothing pops out of it. Instead, it remains perfectly stable. As it rolls across the floor, Black Shadow responds.

"That, Aqualad, is for you Titans to figure out on your own. Consider it a prize to the fiery death goddess for bringing down all of my robots in one shot. I have ten more of these machines at my main hideout where my headquarters is located, so giving up this one won't be too much of a loss. If anything, it's more of a gain. Giving my enemy more knowledge and more to use against me should be fun. I do enjoy a good challenge."

Transforming one of the nearby shadows into a long, creeping, tentacle, the man pushes the metallic semi-circle closer to them in an insistent fashion.

"Go on and take it. Don't be shy. Examine it all you want. I highly doubt that you're going to figure out what this device is for, anyway. This technology is far too advanced; even for someone from the Titans West team like Cyborg."

It is only after the machine is directly at their feet that Black Shadow causes the tentacle he was using to vanish. Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanishes as well. All that's left in his absence is the flickering of the lights and his disembodied voice.

"I wish the Teen Titans a lot of luck, as well as the heroes in the Justice League. From here on out, I declare war against the hero world. But don't think of it as a full scale war with guns blazing and weapon's fire. This is a war of strategy and intelligence, and in the end, only one of you will be left standing. When the time comes, I can't wait to see who that person is."

Once that is said the flickering of the lights stops, as does the menacing baritone of the villain's voice. Where he is at and how he vanished, they don't know. All they know for sure is that he's gone. They don't know this due to the lack of his voice, but because the entire feeling of his presence has completely disappeared. Even so, his disappearance brings no comfort. Instead the feeling left is a hollow one filled with dread and anxiety.

Brown eyes filled with complete and utter terror, Bumblebee slowly bends over and picks up the machine that Black Shadow left behind. It isn't very big now that the woman looks at it closely. In all, it's only about the size of a flower pot. The metallic object is also cold as though it is made out of ice, exactly like its creator.

Gulping, Bumblebee straightens her posture and turns to face Aqualad and Mas y Menos with the machine in hand. To the aquatic man, she commands softly, "Aqualad, go find Speedy and Leila. Tell them what happened, and bring them back to the Tower; both of them."

Mouth hanging agape, Aqualad stares at her in shock. "Bring Speedy  _and Leila_  back to the Tower? Why?! Leila isn't even a Titan!"

Her terror mixing with anxiety, she replies simply. "She is now. Whether she likes it or not, she is involved with us past the point of escape. With what's coming, we need every hero we can get."

Understanding what she's saying, Aqualad gives a firm nod. "What you're saying is true. I don't think that Leila is going to accept being a Titan easily, though." Pausing, he adds, "I'll go find them and tell them what happened."

With that being said, the Aquatic man runs in the direction of the stairs to the upper level where he knows that Speedy and Leila must be. As he runs, Bumblebee turns to face Mas y Menos. Like Bee, terror is seen very clearly in their eyes.

"Mas, Menos, let's get this thing back to the Tower," says the Titan leader as she readjusts the machine in her grasp. "We need to make contact with the Titans West as soon as possible. Black Shadow just declared war on us. Telling the Titans West about it isn't something that can be put off."

* * *

Speedy would never admit this to Leila for fear of sounding like some sort of freak, but he is very glad that she chose to use her lightning. This isn't just because it took down all of the robots in one shot, but because nothing he has felt could ever compare to the feel of lightning wildly coursing through his body. To put simply, the feeling was incredible! Never has he had that much uncontained energy pulsing through him before. It made him feel so…powerful! Does Leila feel that way every time she uses her fire? If so, Speedy envies her for getting to feel that kind of a rush all the time.

Then again, Speedy doesn't resent her too much. For one thing, he actually got the opportunity to feel what her lightning is like; it isn't every day that someone gets to have electrical blue energy harmlessly pass through their body. Along with that, he got the opportunity to see the strong-willed fire user blush. She said it was out of annoyance that she was blushing, but the archer doesn't buy it for a second. In the end he was able to genuinely make her lose her composure, and for one reason or another, this pleases him immensely. Who knew that he was able to make Leila blush?!

Satisfied with tonight's events despite their trouble, Speedy steps over robots and piles of bricks like a pro as he keeps a few steps ahead of the girl beside him. At this point the fact that she, too, can weave over bricks and downed robots without difficulty doesn't surprise him in the least. There's no denying it that this girl definitely has skill. It sure is a good thing that he took a pie break when searching for that robber a few nights ago. He and the rest of the Titans never would have met her otherwise.

Speaking of the other Titans, he really should contact them in case they're still fighting Black Shadow's robots. Not that he would be much help to them now that he has been almost completely depleted of arrows, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't still have enough arrows to get a few good shots in. Leila's fire whips and the blade made out of fire that she uses would be helpful, too. Hopefully the others aren't having it too rough right now.

Removing his yellow Titan communicator from one of his pockets, Speedy turns to face the brown-haired girl. She is moving a bit more slowly than she was previously, and has gone from a little bit behind him to the point where she's lagging behind by several feet. Even so, he doesn't let the observation bother him too much. After everything she has done tonight, it is blatantly obvious that she doesn't need someone to look after her.

Pausing in his steps, he holds up the communicator as he speaks to her. "You don't mind if I contact my team, do you? We split up a while ago, and I haven't heard a thing from them."

Meeting his masked gaze, the brunette shakes her head. "No, go ahead and contact them. Don't let me stop you."

Giving a nod of comprehension, Speedy turns away from her and continues weaving around the wreckage. Opening up his communicator, he is about ready to try contacting Bumblebee or Aqualad. There's no doubt that they're together, so it honestly doesn't matter which one of them he contacts. However, before he can press the button that enables him to reach one of them, a small thud comes from behind him as well as a loud  _"oomph!"_.

Surprised by this, the archer turns around to see Leila hanging on desperately to the wall with one of her hands, the other being pressed to her forehead as though she is having a migraine. The girl's skin is a ghastly shade of white as well, making her look as though she is about ready to pass out. When she has to move her other hand away from her forehead and use that one to cling to the wall as well, it becomes very apparent that Leila isn't in as good of shape as he thought. Growing concerned, Speedy tucks away his communicator and rushes toward her. Contacting his teammates can wait.

Moving closer to the girl, Speedy watches as she trembles slightly. At one point she almost falls away from the wall and collapses to the ground, forcing Speedy to reach out with his gloved arms to help steady her. With one hand on her back and the other gripping her lightly by the upper arm, the redheaded archer speaks to her with apparent concern.

"Leila, are you okay? No offense, but you're not looking so good."

Much to his amazement, she doesn't shrug off his grasp. More than anything, she seems to welcome it. Based on how she stumbles upon releasing the wall, she is no doubt dizzy. It takes a few seconds, but at last she responds.

"Don't worry, Speedy. I'll be fine in a minute. I'm starting to feel the after effects of the lightning is all. They'll be gone soon." Pausing, she adds in what sounds like humiliation, "I hate to admit it, but…lightning kind of takes it out of me…"

Eyes widening beneath his mask, Speedy replies sounding more concerned than before. "This happens every single time you use your lightning?! Why didn't you tell me that your powers hurt you like this?!"

"Because they don't. I can use my fire all day and all night, and it doesn't hurt me in the slightest. Fire is basically a part of me. Lightning, on the other hand, is not. It goes against my body's basic nature to use lightning, and a lot of the time my body fights it, so some negative side effects are bound to kick in at some point."

"I wish you would have mentioned that earlier," says Speedy while keeping his grip on the girl. "If I would've known that this would happen, we could have found another way to beat those things."

The girl stumbles once more as she attempts walking, forcing him to wrap the arm that was on her back completely around her shoulders. Taking the hand that was previously grasping her upper arm, Speedy places one of her arms so that it is wrapped around his upper back. Knowing that Leila is completely supported and that she isn't going to fall down now, he takes her and continues on down the hallway. As they walk, Leila responds to his previous statement.

"Don't you get it? There wasn't another way to beat those things! If there was, then I wouldn't have resorted to using my lightning! Know that I never pull out my lightning without considering every other option I have open to me first. I only use it when it's the only option I have, and this was one of those times." Pausing slightly, she adds, "Also, if it will help you sleep tonight, these side effects aren't anything permanent. They'll go away in twenty minutes or an hour or two."

Leila's words don't cause Speedy's worry to subside; not even a little bit. If anything, his concern for the brown-haired fire user only grows. Carefully stepping over robots and around piles of bricks, he speaks to her once more.

"An hour or two?! Will you even be okay to make it home like this?! You can barely walk at all right now, and this is while I'm helping you!"

Opening her mouth partway, Leila appears ready to respond. However, before she has the chance, echoing footsteps come from up the hallway. Taken off guard by the footsteps, the archer and the fire user jump slightly prior to turning in the direction of the sound. At first Speedy is afraid that it might be Black Shadow, one of his henchmen, or some kind of super robot. It is because of this that when he sees the familiar figure of Aqualad, the archer is incredibly relieved.

He sees as the blue-clad male weaves around downed robots and piles of debris as he continues in their direction. With Leila in the state she's in, Speedy doesn't rush up to meet him. Instead he lets Aqualad come to them. Meanwhile, as he continues coming toward them, Aqualad speaks.

"Speedy, Leila, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Bumblebee wants all of us to meet her back at the Tower. _Now._  We don't have any time to lose. This is important."

His focus momentarily distracted from the girl he's supporting, Speedy replies to his aquatic teammate sounding taken off guard.

"Bee is back at the Tower already? Does this mean that you were able to beat the robots?"

Eyes glazing over with seriousness, he sees as Aqualad's gaze turns in Leila's direction. "Actually, no. We were fighting the robots, and all of them shut down out of nowhere. Black Shadow showed up and said that you and Leila took them down by using some kind of large-scale lightning attack." Pausing, he adds, "Pieces of the ceiling started to fall on us, and we could see lightning on the floor above, so I assume that what Black Shadow told us is true."

Giving his own glance to Leila, he nods in confirmation. "Yeah, it's true. Leila took all of them out in one go." After a moment of hesitation, he adds in contempt, "Of course, while she was using her lightning, she forgot to mention that it has side effects that pretty much drain her of her energy and kill her! I guess bringing down a few lousy pieces of tin is worth risking her life over!"

Sighing in irritation, she gazes up at him while scowling. "I already told you, I'm going to be fine! Lightning just drains me a bit!"

"Oh, really? You're going to be fine? You can barely walk!"

Based on the way the two glare at each other, it is very apparent that the two could have a complete blow-out argument at this moment. The only reason that this didn't happen is because of Aqualad. Even if the aquatic hero wants to address Leila's condition and the specifics of what occurred during the battle, he doesn't. Instead he brings up something else entirely; something very important that Speedy is glad he decided not to skip over.

"Speedy, I'm sure that Leila knows what her body is capable of more than any of us. If she says she's going to be fine, then unless she takes a turn for the worst, we have to assume that she's going to be fine. Right now the Titans East has bigger things to worry about." Pausing, Aqualad turns around in a stiff manner and motions for them to follow. "If Leila can't walk, then pick her up bridal style and bring her back to the Tower. She's in this situation too, so she needs to come with us."

Emerald eyes widening, it is seen as Leila gapes back and forth between both men. Forcefully pulling free from Speedy's grasp, she takes several steps away from them and stares them down angrily. Her whole persona screaming with rage, the girl shouts at the two heroes.

"Oh, so that's it, huh?! You think that you can kidnap me and force me to go to Titans Tower with you?! I'm sorry, but I  _ **am not**_  one of you guys! There's no way that you're making me go with you! I'm going back to my motel room and going to sleep! I'm sorry about your creepy villain Black Shadow, but he's your problem. There is no way that I'm getting involved in any of this!"

Speedy has no idea how he does it, but Aqualad manages to stay calm despite her outburst. When he responds to the girl, he still sounds as calm as ever.

"We aren't kidnapping you, Leila, and we aren't forcing you into this. The fact of the matter is that you're already involved way past the point of escape. Even if you don't want to _'officially'_  join the Titans, then you at least need to come back to the Tower with us to learn what's going on with Black Shadow. Bumblebee said that herself." Pausing, he adds with a frown, "Not only that, but I have to side with Speedy about the side effects of the lightning. You're pale, you're shaking, and you can barely stand up. Maybe you should come back to the Tower with us just so we can make sure that you're okay."

Certainly enough, the aquatic man wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. Leila is as pale as a sheet of paper, and is trembling like a flower on a windy day. Any moment now, it's obvious that she is going to collapse. Concerned for her well being, Speedy takes a step toward her in attempt to help steady her once more. Sadly, the moment he reaches for her, she slaps his hand away and takes a wobbly step backwards.

"No! Don't touch me! I am not involved in this, I am not a Titan, and I'm not coming with you!"

"I'm not trying to bind and gag you, if that's what you're thinking!" snaps Speedy. "I'm trying to catch you before you crack your skull open on the cement!"

Reaching outward, she catches herself on the wall as she stumbles to the side. "Y-you don't need to catch me!" she stutters as she struggles to keep her balance. "I-I'm f-fine…"

It becomes wildly apparent that she isn't fine, because before she can say another word her eyes roll to the back of her head and she passes out. Like a rock plummeting to the earth, Leila loses her grip on the wall and her unconscious form goes crashing toward the ground. It's only lucky for her that Speedy manages to jump forward and catch her in time.

Kneeling on the dusty cement covered in small bits of metal, Speedy holds the girl in is arms bridal style. Her long golden-brown curls are tangled like a rat's nest, her body trembles slightly, and her small form feels undeniably cold. Shoving a strand of hair out of her face using the pad of his thumb, the redheaded archer pulls the girl closer and gets to his feet. As he's holding her, he can't get over how light she is. It feels almost like he's holding an eleven-year-old girl rather than a sixteen-year-old.

Sighing in a stress-filled manner, Speedy turns to face his teammate. "You know that she isn't going to be happy when she wakes up in Titans Tower, right?"

Looking from Speedy, to Leila, and back again, Aqualad gives a stiff nod. "Yeah, I know, but we don't have too many options. She's gotten in deep, and even if she hasn't, we can't just leave her here."

"I know. I would never leave her here. I'm just giving you some forewarning."

Aqualad turns away from his teammate and begins walking up the hallway at his words. Though he doesn't face the archer, still he responds. "I know you wouldn't leave her. I can tell."

After the words are spoken, Speedy doesn't utter a single syllable. He follows close behind Aqualad in silence, the small-framed fire user safely in his grasp. As he gazes down at her with intensity in his masked eyes, only one thought occurs to him. For such a feisty girl who contains so much power, she looks tiny, helpless, and afraid while she's passed out.


	9. Part I: Inception: Chapter Nine

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Nine**

Jump City

_Later That Night_

For a superhero, Frostbite's place of residence isn't big. Instead of living in a big and flashy Tower like the Teen Titans, the water user lives in a small apartment in the suburban part of Jump City. This neighborhood isn't poor, but it isn't wealthy either. It's quiet, middle class, and the neighborhood very rarely sees any trouble. To Frostbite, the section of town he lives in is nothing less than perfect.

What is the best part to the young man? What he likes the most is that when he's in his apartment alone with the door bolted shut, he doesn't have to be  _"Frostbite"_. Rather, the pony-tailed hero gets to call himself by his birth name;  _Saeran_. His official title used to be "Saeran of the Fire Phoenix, Royal Squire of Planet Dabnod", but he hardly thinks of himself that way anymore. Dabnod is gone, he is most likely the only member of the Royal Guard left alive, and with the loss of his planet, the fact that he is from the Fire Phoenix clan is no longer important. Therefore, when he is alone, he is simply  _Saeran_.

Unfortunately for Saeran, tonight is one of the many nights where his dreams are filled with the loveliest sort of torture. Some nights he will fall asleep dreaming that he is back on Dabnod in his family's little cabin at the top of the purple, grassy, hill. He will wake up in his old bed next to the window that faces toward the pond at the hill's bottom. After waking up, he will get dressed in his tight black pants, green tunic, and hook the belt around his waist that contains their clan's symbol; a majestic fire phoenix with outstretched wings. Then, once he's dressed, he will go into the main room for breakfast with his family.

Once in the main room he will give Mama a hug before accepting the morning meal of fresh starberry cream from her. Over breakfast he will ask Mama about how work at the Palace is going and if Queen Guayusa is doing well. His mother always responds in the positive, her lengthy hair coloring a happy shade of gold and her eyes turning amber. Following his conversation with Mama, Saeran will then turn to his beloved baby sister. Damiana always had so many stories to tell.

Every morning at breakfast, Damiana's hair would turn a lovely shade of rose red and her eyes would turn soft pink. Those were always the colors they would turn when she was at her happiest. She always had a new story to tell them about. A story she'd read in some new foreign language she'd learned from a far off planet on the other side of the galaxy. Other times it would be a story native to Dabnod that she told he and Mama about. Of course, it was never a story told in the modern language. They were always written in dead languages thousands of years old that the Palace scribes couldn't begin to decipher!

His little sister was a true Dabnodian prodigy, that is for certain. Where it took him three months to master the English language spoken on Earth, it took Damiana two weeks to learn it fluently. For dead languages that took the Palace's most talented scribes a year to decipher, they took Damiana only a couple of months. And don't even get him started on her talent with their clan's dominant element! Damiana became such a prodigy with her fire that their father and the head of the clan nicknamed her _The Queen of the Fire Phoenix_!

 _"It has been a long time since the Fire Phoenix clan saw a child this talented,"_  said their father only a few months before his death.  _"With her skill, she could one day be Dabnod's next Great Queen!"_

Of course, Damiana never did pay her talent much attention. More than anything, Saeran's baby sister viewed her skills as something convenient and something to have fun with. They were simply a part of her. Every morning at breakfast, both in Saeran's dreams and in what was once real life, the girl always managed to express this over the table. If not through tales she'd learned in other languages, then by telling about a new technique she'd mastered using her fire.

Damiana was always such a happy child, and he and Mama were always happy to listen to her. They were always happy to listen to him, too. Admittedly, he had his own share of stories. He had stories of intense training that he'd gone through, tales of war that he'd heard from the more seasoned Knights, and stories of quests that he'd gone on with his fellow knights-in-training. When it came to the quests, Saeran remembers telling about he and his friend, Adriel, most of the time. They'd gotten into so much trouble together as children! It's no wonder it took them so long to move up the ranks from Pages to Squires…

Currently, Saeran is having another breakfast dream. In this one, he is telling one of his many stories about he and his friend, Adriel. By the way he remembers, the dream he's having was once an actual conversation. He must have been about twelve years old at the time.

"…and after he buried him with his mud, it took us three hours to dig Master Urrvink out! Adriel would have gotten him out by pushing the dirt out of the ground, but Master Urrvink was afraid that he would accidentally crush him. He didn't want me to use my water to get him out, either, because he didn't want me to freeze him. Apparently me and Adriel don't have good enough control over our heart energy yet. That's why we're going to the courtyard today is to train some more."

Mama, who is busily stirring buttercup powder into her starberry cream, gives an irritated sigh as her hair turns a dangerous shade of midnight blue. "Honestly, Saeran! If I had a say in the matter, I would keep you and that boy, Adriel, separated! Together you're nothing but trouble!"

Swallowing a mouthful of his food nervously, Saeran shrugs with uncertainty. "We don't mean to do things like that, Mama. We just kind of…end up…in those situations."

Narrowing her sharp, dark blue gaze at him, Mama eyes him skeptically. "Right. I bet burying your Knight Master up to his chin in mud and griffin manure was a complete accident! Just like that incident last week when one of the Queen's courtiers found a nest of hatching sky serpent eggs in her wardrobe!"

Before remembering to process his words, Saeran responds in anger. "Hey, that jerk lady insulted Adriel's sister! She had it coming!"

Again, Mama gave a sigh. "I should have held off on giving you your belt with our clan symbol. Maybe your father was wrong, and you're not mature enough to wear it yet."

Offended by his mother's words, Saeran's eyes widen. "Hey, that isn't true! If Dad said that I get to wear the Fire Phoenix, then I should get to wear it! Besides. It's not like you would hold off on giving Damiana her arm cuff."

Suddenly Mama's hair lightens to a shade of pale blue along with her eyes as she smiles at her son knowingly. "Yes, but Damiana doesn't go around causing trouble, either. When she gets her Fire Phoenix cuff when she turns twelve, I'm certain that she will have earned it."

At last, after a lengthy period of silence, Damiana speaks. For once her hair isn't red, but instead it is green with confusion.

"Mama, why does Saeran get the belt? Can't I have one too? I don't want the arm cuff."

Again, Mama chuckles. "I already told you, Dami. You can't have the belt. The belt with the Fire Phoenix is for Saeran because he's a boy. When girls are old enough to start wearing their clan symbol, they wear theirs on a metal cuff on their upper arm. That's just how it is."

Her hair greener than before, Damiana asks, "When can I wear my Fire Phoenix arm cuff, then? I want to wear our clan symbol like Saeran!"

Amused by her daughter's enthusiasm, Mama smiles at her gently. "You can wear your arm cuff when you turn twelve the same as your brother. Age twelve is when you're officially old enough to become a member of the clan. You're much too young right now, Damiana."

Pouting slightly, she gave a disappointed nod. "Okay. I can wait. I really don't want to, though."

Getting up from her chair, Mama walks over to the pot on the stove top where the starberry cream is sitting. Based on how she is gripping the handle, she is prepared to offer more food to anyone who wants it. Before she gets the chance, however, deafening beeping is heard. At first Saeran is afraid that it is a warning signal to let him know that the Tamaraneans are invading, or Master Urrvink using his bell to time him and Adriel on some sort of training exercise. It is only as the ringing persists that Saeran is brought back to reality.

Sitting straight up in his bed with limbs tangled up in the covers, Saeran sees that he isn't in his old bed. Neither is this his room that faces the pond at the bottom of the purple hill. Instead Saeran is lying in his twin-sized bed inside of his small apartment room located in Jump City. Outside of the window isn't a tall grassy hill, but buildings and the busy street below. Like every other time he wakes up in this reality, Saeran feels like sitting in his bed for an hour and crying bitter tears.

Of course, once the Dabnodian man peeks over at his bedside table, he realizes that there isn't any time for that. Shoving a strand of long hair dyed blonde out of his face, Saeran sees that the time is currently twelve o'three AM. Sitting beside his digital alarm clock is his yellow Titan communicator, which is currently beeping frantically. At the sight, he quickly untangles his limbs from the sheets and reaches his bare upper torso toward the bedside table. Releasing a yawn, Saeran makes sure that he is speaking English and not Dabnodian before picking up the communicator.

"Hello, you have reached Frostbite's twenty-four-hour emergency hotline. We are happy to service you at this convenient hour of midnight. How may I direct your call?" the young man yawns into the communicator with sarcasm.

On the other end is Robin, his hair messed up from sleep. Nonetheless, despite the lateness of the hour, the bird boy has never sounded more awake. Or troubled for that matter…

"Hi, Frostbite. I'm sorry to wake you up so late, but you need to come to the Tower right now. The Titans East just contacted us. It ends out that they have news about Black Shadow." Concern filling every ounce of his persona, he adds, "I know that you don't want to hear it, but you're a Titan just as much as my team, so you need to hear what the Titans East have to say. It's important."

* * *

Steel City: Titans East Tower

_Meanwhile…_

Bumblebee stands in the common room in front of the table where the small, metal, device sits innocently. She just finished contacting Robin, telling him to get in touch with Frostbite, wake up the rest of his team, and that she will contact him again as soon as the rest of her own team shows up. Besides Mas y Menos who have fallen asleep on the sofa, Bee is the only one who is here at the moment. The whole time she stares at the semi-circular machine that Black Shadow gave them in a mixture of fear and curiosity, wondering what on Earth the device could be.

"Whatever it is, it can't be anything good," Bee says to herself aloud. "We'll have to tell the Titans West everything that happened, and get Sparky over here to take a look at it. If anyone can figure out what this machine is for, it's him."

The machine's blue stripes and silver buttons twinkle up at her as if challenging her to a staring contest. Losing the money they were supposed to return and letting Black Shadow escape is bad enough already. This machine and those endless robots of his only make their situation harder. Not to mention that he declared war on the hero world.

Bee sighs as she speaks to herself yet again. "I don't think anything can happen to make this day more of a challenge."

Then, as if the fates are against her, that is when she hears the doors to the common room's main entrance slide open. Her initial concern upon Speedy's and Aqualad's return is that they will come back without Leila. Based on what she has heard about her from Speedy and on what she's seen of the girl herself, there's no doubt that getting Leila to come back to the Tower is a difficult task. If anything, Bumblebee was partially expecting them to walk in without her, and to say that she ran off after the fight never to be seen by any of them again.

It is due to these assumptions that what she actually sees when they pass through the common room entrance surprises her to no end. First Aqualad enters, wearing a deep frown of concern. A few feet behind him is Speedy, who appears nothing but distraught. Certainly enough Leila is with them, but she is completely passed out in Speedy's arms. The girl is limp and incredibly pale, the archer supporting her head of strewn brown hair in the crook between his chest and his upper arm. His opposite arm holds Leila under the crooks of her knees, making it known that he is being very careful not to drop her.

Brown eyes the size of saucers, Bumblebee takes to the air and rushes toward them. Like Aqualad and Speedy, she is no doubt alarmed at the sight of their new friend.

"Oh my gosh! What happened to Leila?! Did Black Shadow's robots do this to her?!"

Descending the stairs and heading in the direction of the lengthy sofa, Speedy doesn't hesitate to explain. "They did, but indirectly. When she uses fire, Leila is the robot destroying queen who can feel no pain. It ends out that it's not the same thing when she uses lightning, though. She was able to take out every robot in the building with her lightning, but unfortunately whenever she uses it, this happens." Setting her down gently on the end of the couch opposite from Mas y Menos, he adds with irritation, "She never told me about the side effects when she suggested using it, though."

Brown eyes remaining wide, Bee watches as Leila unconsciously snuggles into the couch. At this point her skin is regaining some of its color, and her breathing is becoming deep and even. Not only that, but she looks as though she's very comfortable on the Titan's sofa. When her deep even breathing turns into soft snoring, the fact that she is comfortable is a reality rather than a presumption.

The sight of Leila sleeping peacefully relieves the three Titans immensely. She may be unconscious, but at least they know that she isn't in pain and that she will wake up unharmed.

Growing calmer, Bumblebee speaks out once more. "I guess Black Shadow wasn't lying when he told us that Leila's the one who took down the robots. It's no wonder she was knocked unconscious. Destroying all of those robots at once probably takes a lot of energy." Pausing slightly, she adds, "It's amazing that lightning is the only thing that does this to her. Leila's fire really doesn't hurt her?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Speedy responds while gazing at the fire user's sleeping form. "No, it doesn't. The way Leila explained it to me is that her fire is a part of her that comes naturally. Since it's a part of her, her body doesn't fight her when she uses it. The reason her body fights lightning is because it isn't naturally a part of her, and it's trying to get rid of it." Scratching his head awkwardly, he adds, "It's something like that, anyway. She told me about it the best she could, but I'm still not sure I get it. I don't have crazy powers like she does, so it's probably hard for me to understand."

Once that is said, a moment of silence passes. Each of them continues staring at Leila with interest, wondering how she's going to react when she wakes up. Though none of them says it aloud, each of them knows that she never intended on getting in this deep with them. If one thing is for certain, it's that her life has most likely turned completely upside down in the three days since she has met Speedy. In a way, they feel bad that she had to get pulled into this horrific situation.

After a long moment of observing the girl, Bee speaks to the men standing on either side of her.

"I don't think she's waking up anytime soon, so we shouldn't just leave her on the couch. Let's give her some privacy, and put her in my room for the night."

Confused by her statement, Aqualad asks, "Your room? Can't we just put together one of the guest rooms?"

The winged girl gives a shrug. "We could, but all that's in any of the guest rooms are bare mattresses, and I don't feel like digging around in the downstairs closet for sheets and blankets. If she decides to stay, then we can put together a room for her tomorrow. Once we're through relaying all of our information to the Titans West, I'll sleep on the couch."

Understanding what she's saying, the duo nods. Meanwhile, she gives her orders.

"Aqualad, take Leila and help me get her to my room. Speedy, you can put Mas and Menos in their beds. I don't think that either of them will make it there on their own."

Stretching his arms over his head, the archer complies. "Okay, will do. I can definitely say that I've gotten my workout today. Who needs barbells when you have humans?"

Nobody replies to Speedy's remark. Instead Aqualad takes Leila in his arms in the same fashion that Speedy did earlier. Similarly, Speedy picks up the twins with one of them in each arm. It's a good thing that he works out, because even at a first glance it's easily seen that both of the twins together are heavier than Leila is.

Each of them with their respective people in their arms, they head off to the part of the Tower where the bedrooms are located. As they pass through the kitchen to the double doors, however, Aqualad and Bumblebee note as Speedy pauses. A curious expression on his face, he turns toward the table that contains the semicircular machine of black, blue, and silver. Having no idea what he's looking at, the redhead gazes up at his teammates.

"Bee, Aqualad, what the heck is that thing?"

Nibbling her lower lip anxiously, Bumblebee turns away from him and continues walking toward the sliding metallic doors that lead out of the common room. Even so, she still manages a response.

"It's nothing good, I can tell you that. We'll talk more about it once we make contact with the Titans West. For now, let's just take care of Mas, Menos, and Leila."

Brow furrowed, Speedy turns away from the table and follows. Nonetheless, he still asks another question.

"Can you at least tell me where you got it? I'm kind of in the dark, here."

Sighing, Bumblebee gives a short and clipped answer. "Black Shadow gave it to us as a way to taunt us. He said that he wants to go to war with the Titans and the Justice League."

* * *

It amazes Speedy how carrying the twins down the hall to their bedrooms was more strenuous than carrying Leila several miles across town to the Tower. Either he was very distracted during the across-town hike and didn't notice her weight, or the girl is practically a walking skeleton. Considering how all of his thoughts were on Leila while he was carrying her, this archer would place his bet on the latter. Sure the girl is tough as nails and knows how to survive on her own, but choosing to starve to death instead seeking help is crossing the line.

 _"Hopefully she won't freak out too bad when she wakes up… It would do her good to stay for breakfast…"_  says the archer to himself.

As he looks over at Bumblebee who is busily typing codes into the keyboard of the main console, however, all thoughts of the bony fire user immediately vanish. With Aqualad standing next to him holding Black Shadow's blue, black, and silver machine with the buttons, Speedy's mind instantly returns to the situation at hand. There's a madman on the loose who declared war on the hero world. Not only that, but somehow the machine Aqualad is holding contains all the answers.

 _"Right,"_  says Speedy internally. _"It looks like Leila will have to wait for a bit."_

Directly after the thought, Bumblebee finishes typing and bright white letters flash across the screen. They spell out:  _"Connecting"_. As their Tower busily connects to the Titans West's frequency, Speedy uses this opportunity to question his teammates. Whatever he missed while he was separated from them must have been very important; especially if they're contacting their friends on the west coast in the middle of the night.

Brows arched beneath his mask, he turns so that he's facing both Aqualad and their team's leader. "Out of curiosity, when you say that Black Shadow threatened war on the hero world, was he serious or was he playing mind games? Black Shadow does that, you know."

Speedy does the best he can to hide his nervousness, but ultimately fails. Even so, this doesn't matter too much. In truth, the winged girl and the aquatic Titan are just as unnerved as he is. Considering how they were present during the madman's threat, this applies even more so.

Meanwhile, it is Aqualad who replies. "Speedy, even if you weren't there for all of it, you know just as much as we do that Black Shadow is serious. He escaped from the Swarzberg Prison. He's been popping up in Justice League cities all over the country. He made in-depth replicas of the cities, and tested his robots on us. The evidence is there."

Turning away from the console's screen in order to face him, Bumblebee adds, "The robots are just the beginning. There's also that machine he gave us, too. The fact that he's planning our destruction is obvious. The only thing that isn't obvious is how he's planning on doing it."

Speedy doesn't have time to reply to his teammate's statements. A second later their Tower connects to the Titans West's frequency, the face of an awake and completely alert Robin on the screen. Directly beside him is the masked man with the ponytail, clad in white and icy blue. Much like Robin, Frostbite is awake and ready for action. Of course, after giving the screen a second glance, it appears that they're the only ones.

In the background, curled up on one end of the couch while snoring softly, is Starfire. Cuddled up in her arms is Silkie, who is also sleeping. Sprawled out across the sofa's opposite end and snoring much more loudly, is Cyborg. In the middle of the sofa is Beast Boy, his feet laying across Cyborg's lap, and his head and arms snuggled into Raven's midsection. The green Titan hugs Raven around the waist tightly, looking very comfortable. The whole time Raven works to pry his arms off of her, the dark girl grumbling drowsily.

The trio of East Titans quirk their brows at the sight, paying more attention to the background than to Robin and Frostbite. Meanwhile, as they gawk, the Boy Wonder addresses them.

"Hi, Bumblebee. I got Frostbite over here, and woke up the rest of my team. We're alert and ready to hear whatever news you have to give us about Black Shadow." Turning to face his team, he raises his voice. "Right, Titans?!"

Upon hearing Robin's shouts, the teens are instantly awoken from their slumber. Starfire shoots into the air with her emerald eyes wide with surprise, accidentally tossing Silkie across the room. Cyborg wakes up as well, scurrying to his feet in a frenzy. This causes Beast Boy to fall to the ground due to the position of his feet on Cyborg's lap, forcing Raven to fall with him. When Beast Boy ends up on top of her, the dark girl doesn't hesitate to use her dark energy to send him flying much like Silkie.

Frostbite and Robin watch the scene as well as the Titans East. The only person who gets any amusement from the sight is Frostbite, who smirks slightly while speaking to them.

"I guess my middle of the night dash across the city is nothing compared to the dreaded hike from your bedrooms to the common room. A journey that causes so much exhaustion must be truly painful."

"Not as painful as fighting robots for half the night and almost running out of arrows," adds Speedy from the screen's other side. "You should try it sometime. It really tests your endurance."

Rubbing his human eye tiredly, it is Cyborg who replies to him. "Sorry, Speedy. We were waiting a long time for Bee to contact us, and I guess we got tired. It  _is_  twelve-thirty in the morning."

"It's three-thirty in the morning over here," states Aqualad bluntly. Then he adds with a shrug, "But I guess that doesn't matter right now. What does matter is telling all of you what happened tonight."

Beast Boy, who walks back on screen while rubbing his head tenderly, speaks for everyone on the Titans West side of the screen with his inquiry. "What exactly happened when you guys fought Black Shadow? If you're contacting us in the middle of the night, then it must be majorly bad."

" _'Majorly bad'_  is an understatement, replies Speedy. "Black Shadow wasn't messing around in Steel City like he was in Gotham. We fought these special robots he invented, and they were no joke. If it hadn't been for Leila, I wouldn't have made it out of there. I'm not sure if any of us would have."

Surprise crossing his features, it is Robin who replies. "Leila? The source you left to meet with earlier? She was with you?"

Giving a single nod, Bumblebee confirms Speedy's statement. "Yep. She was with us until the end. Finding the hideout, fighting the robots, working together with Speedy to help take them down, all of it was Leila."

"It ends out that she's more than just a source. She has superpowers, too." Pausing, Aqualad adds, "Not to mention, Leila also seems to have plenty of fighting experience; she didn't even flinch when Black Shadow showed up."

Despite the seriousness of the conversation they're having, Speedy gives a smile as he explains further. "You're right when you say that she has fighting experience. She can tear apart five robots at once like they're plastic toys. She's feisty when she fights! Then again, I guess Leila is  _always_  feisty…"

Apparently it is realized that they're getting off topic, because Bumblebee quickly works to reroute the conversation. In a way, Speedy is thankful. He doesn't want to think too much about the sleeping girl when there is a maniac on the loose, and he can tell that neither does Aqualad.

"Don't get me wrong. It's a good thing that Leila was there, but it doesn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things." Hesitating momentarily, Bumblebee moves in Aqualad's direction and gently takes the machine from him. "Black Shadow's robots might be gone, but Black Shadow  _isn't_. Right after Leila and Speedy beat his insane robots, he came out of hiding and told me, Aqualad, and Mas y Menos that he declares war on the hero world."

If the six heroes on the opposite end of the screen weren't awake before, then they certainly are now. Eyes wide with a mixture of fear and surprise, those who were previously loitering in the background move closer to the screen. Bumblebee's words hit them like a bucket of ice water. At this moment in time, Speedy can honestly say that he has never seen a group of superheroes more awake.

"He wants to go to war with us?! Dude, are you serious?!"

"Did Black Shadow mean it when he said that, or was he playing mind games?" Cyborg inquires fearfully. "Remember, one of his main tricks is messing with our heads."

"He's messing with our heads, Sparky, but not in the way you're talking about," Bee replies sounding downcast. "When he said that he wants to start a war against the heroes, he was nothing but serious. The thing with Black Shadow is that this isn't going to be a normal fight. He's out for revenge, and this whole war he's creating is one big revenge scheme."

Bumblebee pauses momentarily. As she hesitates in speaking, Aqualad takes over.

"The exact way he put it is that he's been plotting revenge for a long time now, but that it's going to take a while for his plans to come together. He also said that the war he's challenging us to is one that requires strategy and intelligence. According to him, only one of us will be left standing by the time this is all over." This time it is Aqualad's turn to hesitate. When he continues, bone-chilling dread is seen in his eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that he's planning on picking us off one-by-one like the Brotherhood of Evil tried to do. Only, this is going to be different from that situation. He's targeting the Justice League, too, so this is on a larger scale."

For the first time since returning to the Tower, Speedy is finally starting to understand the real depth of the situation. Out of all the villains he's faced, the Brotherhood of Evil leaves him with the worst memories. Being hunted down, captured like a helpless child, and ending up frozen like some kind of victory trophy is something that he never wants to experience again. Knowing that his friends were being captured and taken out the same as him made him feel more helpless than he'd ever felt before in his life.

The only thing that could ever compare to how helpless he felt while being captured by the Brotherhood of Evil and their cronies, was what it was like shortly after he split from Green Arrow. Being twelve years old and on the streets with nowhere to go is hard. There is no feeling more terrifying than wondering if someone is going to kill you while you're sleeping on the park bench, or if that day is the day you're going to starve to death or overdose. No kid should ever have to go through that…

Knowing where his thoughts are going, Speedy puts them to a halt then and there. Those days are over, as are the days where he was captured by the Brotherhood of Evil. He is a Teen Titan and one of the world's heroes. A new threat has arisen; one larger than the previous threats he has dealt with. Even if the thought is terrifying, he's going to have to face potentially being taken out by Black Shadow just like he had to face it with the Brotherhood of Evil. He is a superhero, after all.

Meanwhile, as Speedy is pulled back to reality, he hears as Bumblebee speaks once more.

"Even if Black Shadow likes to play mind games, it isn't a game this time. He's already making plans to eliminate the heroes. He might've said that his plans are going to take a while, but I think all of us know that his first major attack is already coming sooner than we're ready for."

An odd type of understanding filling his tone, it is Robin who replies to her. "He declared war on us, Bee. No matter how long his plans take, I don't think that we're ever actually going to be  _'ready'_. All we can really do is get prepared, and when the time comes, we need to be willing to fight to the end." Pausing, he adds slowly, "If anyone should know this, it's the Titans West. Before the Brotherhood of Evil, our little team had to stand up against Slade and against Trigon."

Finally opening her mouth to speak, it is Raven who adds to Robin's statement.

"We weren't ready to fight them, but we sacrificed everything and fought them anyway. Now, we're going to have to come together so we can handle Black Shadow the same way."

Looking at each and every one of the heroes on the other side of the screen, Bumblebee replies to them while giving a small smile. "That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say. Who better to call in a tough situation than our friends from the west?" Hesitating slightly, the winged girl holds up the metallic machine given to them by the villain as she continues. "I know this is a lot to ask, but I was wondering if the Titans East could get Sparky over here. Black Shadow gave us a victory prize after Leila and Speedy took down his robots, and I was thinking that he could take a look at it."

Exchanging surprised glances with Aqualad, Speedy can immediately tell that this is the first either of them has heard of Bee's idea. Even so, they both give smiles at their leader's inquiry. Honestly, asking Cyborg to take a look at Black Shadow's machine is an excellent idea. Being the most knowledgeable on technology out of all of the Titans, both honorary and official, there isn't anyone better to do the job.

Immediately, Speedy voices his agreement. "Cyborg looking at it would definitely be good. None of us are idiots when it comes to technology, but I doubt that we know enough to figure out what the heck that thing is supposed to do." Hesitating slightly, he adds, "Maybe he could examine some of the robot parts that we salvaged, too. Who knows? There could be a connection."

There is a moment of silence from the opposite side of the screen before one of them speaks. When someone responds, it is none other than the technology wizard himself.

"Hold on. Black Shadow is the one that gave you that thing you're holding? Why haven't you destroyed it?! He could be using it to bug the Tower, or brainwash you!"

Speedy gives a shrug despite the metal man's panic. "I doubt he would do that. The man's crazy, and he likes a good challenge. He probably gave it to us as a way to tease us into trying to figure out more about what he's planning."

"I have to agree with Speedy," Aqualad puts in. "I honestly don't think that the machine is rigged. He's too busy making bigger plans to spend all of his time focused on us."

Cyborg gives a hesitant nod of agreement, though he still doesn't appear convinced. "Well, okay... If you say so, then I guess I can take a look at it… But if I find any sign that Black Shadow did something to it, it gets destroyed!"

Bumblebee nods in comprehension. "Understood. So, you're coming, then?"

Rubbing his head awkwardly, he replies, "Yeah. As long as it's okay with Robin, I can come to Steel City. I've made the cross-country trip before, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Once the words are spoken, all eyes turn in the direction of the Boy Wonder. These aren't just the eyes of the Titans West, but the eyes of Frostbite and the Titans East as well. Noticing the stares, Robin spends a moment contemplating before responding. Luckily, his response is in the positive.

"There is no hesitation from me. I think that having Cyborg go to Steel City to look at Black Shadow's machine is a good idea. Your Tower has also been needing some upgrades, so he can get those installed while he's there, too."

Turning his gaze away from Robin, Cyborg turns to face the Titans East. "Well, alright. It looks like I'm taking a trip to Steel City. In that case I'll pack up, and I can head out sometime tomorrow."

Moving so that he's standing in between Robin and Frostbite, the metal man claps the pony-tailed hero on the shoulder. Honestly, Speedy along with the rest of the Titans had forgotten that Frostbite was present until now. In the meantime, Cyborg continues.

"While I'm gone, maybe Frostbite can fill in for me. I know that he's been dying to see what life is like in the Tower. He can play video games, meditate with Raven, and maybe even try some of Beast Boy's tofu." Grinning, he adds, "I know you like tofu!"

The frown of uncertainty on the solo hero's face tells all of them that moving into the Titans West Tower, even if it's only for a short while, is the last thing that Frostbite wants to do. When he immediately begins making excuses, this is made even more apparent.

"Fill in for Cyborg? Live in Titans Tower? Wow. That sounds…interesting…" After a lengthy pause, he continues. "I would love to, but sadly, I don't think I can manage it. I would need to pack stuff up and bring it over here, and while I'm here, my apartment won't get cleaned. Not to mention that I have a cat. Mr. Whiskers is going to get very lonely without me…"

"Then pack Whiskers up, and bring him with you!" says Cyborg happily. "Silkie will be here to keep him company. I bet the two of them will get along great!"

Frostbite doesn't have much to say after this. Instead, he gives a weighted sigh.

"I don't know. I'll think about it."

Either they were listening to his words halfheartedly, or the phrase  _"I'll think about it"_  is the new way of saying yes. Before he has time to protest further, Robin walks around to his other side and gives him a manly clap on the shoulder. This is followed by Cyborg who grips his opposite shoulder tighter, and Starfire who flies over to give him a suffocating hug around the midsection.

"Great! I knew he couldn't resist!" exclaims Cyborg.

"Welcome aboard! We can get your room set up tomorrow," says Robin with a smile.

Starfire simply shouts joyfully. "Yay! New friends!"

The whole time Raven stands back and watches the scene with a raised brow. Beast Boy stands beside her, shouting in excitement. Only, his excitement is for different reasons than his teammates'.

"Ooh! Cyborg's going to Steel City? This is so awesome! Since Frostbite's filling in, maybe I can go with him! We can have men-only road trip!"

The other side of the screen becomes so loud and filled with chaos that Bumblebee, Aqualad, and Speedy can do nothing other than stare. If there's one thing they know for certain, it's that this night has made things very interesting in more ways than one.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Damiana has no idea where she's at. The young Dabnodian knows that she is sleeping, but her dreams have never taken her to a place that's so strange. Normally when she has dreams, they're very straightforward. Most of the time she will dream that she is back on Dabnod with Mama and Saeran, either in their little cabin at the top of the hill, playing in the pond, or walking the halls of the Palace.

When she isn't dreaming about Dabnod, Damiana dreams that she is on Earth. The only difference between her dreams of Earth and of reality is that, in her dreams, she is living in a mansion with more clothes she could ever wear, more food than she could ever eat, and more money than she could ever spend, while being surrounded by people she can trust. It's strange, but in these dreams her hair isn't brown and her eyes aren't green. Damiana is fully Dabnodian, everybody knows, and everybody is accepting of her true form.

Whether her dreams are of her deceased planet or of the life she wishes she could have on Earth, Damiana never minds. They take her away from reality, and this is all that matters. Of course, right now, Damiana's dreams don't take place on Earth or on Dabnod. She doesn't know where she's at, but the girl is completely certain that her dream location isn't on any planet that she's familiar with.

For once Damiana's hair and eyes aren't false colors, and she isn't clothed in a stained sweatshirt and raggedy jeans. Instead she wears a lengthy, royal blue, dress, the hem of it sweeping the ground as she walks. The skirt of it is full but not too full, appearing stylish without being gaudy. As for the dress' bodice, it is sleeveless, tight, and has a high collar. Around the collar are lovely gems the color of the Earth's daytime sky, addling a lovely type of sparkle to the garment.

If Damiana didn't know any better, she would say that this is the exact same dress she always used to wear when she was eleven years old. The only difference are the gems around the collar, and the fact that it has been tailored to fit her sixteen-year-old form. Though it is only a dream, Damiana can't help but give a happy sigh at the feel of her favorite dress. It has been far too long since she has worn a garment that is purely Dabnodian in nature. The fabric is softer, lighter, and all the way around more pleasing to her than any of the clothes she has worn on Earth.

Very pleased with her current attire, Damiana's hair turns its normal happy shade of rose red as she shoves one of her curled tresses aside. Though she can't see them, she would stake her life on it that her eyes are soft pink. In a way it confuses Damiana that she is so happy even though she is completely surrounded by fog, but she doesn't question it. Rather, she keeps her smile, wraps her hands in the skirt of her dress, and raises it slightly so that she doesn't trip over the hem as she walks.

The fog surrounding Damiana in this strange dream realm is so thick that she can hardly see a foot in front of her. Of course, based on what she can see, it is blatant that she hasn't stumbled across Shangri-La or an exotic island paradise. The dirt beneath her feet is completely black, almost like ash. The only reason she wouldn't call it ash is because it sparkles like glass, making it look more similar in appearance to obsidian.

Surround her on every side, besides the fog, are gigantic boulders. They aren't gray or brown in color like Earth and Dabnodian boulders. Rather, they are the colors of bright gold, gleaming silver, glittery copper, or are shiny and black like obsidian. This truly is a very strange place where Damiana finds herself. Where is she, anyway? On some type of planet on the other side of the galaxy that she has never heard of? Or maybe in the rock garden of some mythical giant that she'd read about as a child?

"What kind of dream is this, anyway?" she asks aloud in her native tongue. "Usually my dreams make sense. I've never had to wander around aimlessly in a strange place before."

Looking down at her feet, it's only now that Damiana realizes she's barefoot. Yet, the little shards of obsidian don't hurt her feet at all. Somehow, it's as soft as sand.

Quirking a brow, she states bluntly, "This is so weird. Very, incredibly, weird."

Once that is said, Damiana doesn't speak again. Instead she lifts the hem of her dress once more to reduce the risk of tripping, and continues onward. She weaves around many large boulders and pushes her way through the fog. The whole time the girl's hair stays the same, stable, shade of red. The only time it changes color is when the fog begins lifting, revealing not just obsidian sand and large boulders, but the sight of an endless blue ocean off in the distance. Stretching beyond the sea and over her head is a bright, fuchsia-colored sky dotted by clouds the color of gold.

Running a hand through rose-colored tresses that are quickly turning the same shade of gold as the clouds, Damiana stares in awe. Her first assumption had been that the place she's at was a creepy one. Now that the fog has lifted, however, it has proven to be exactly the opposite. The beautiful expanse of the exotic sky, the glimmering of the ocean as it shifts to and from different shades of blue, the metallic gleam of the rocks; it is actually one of the most stunning places she has ever seen.

"Wow," says Damiana in an amazed whisper. "This one beats my other dreams. That's for sure."

The girl stands in place, looking around at the beautiful scenery as she stands here alone. With nobody else around there is no sound at all; none besides the waves of the ocean slapping up against the obsidian shore. A second later, however, Damiana learns that she isn't as alone as she'd thought.

"I really wouldn't call this a  _'dream'_  per say. You are dreaming, but this place is real. One day, if you do things right, you could get to spend an eternity here."

Surprised by the sound of another voice, Damiana gives a startled gasp before whipping around. What startles her isn't only the voice, but the fact that the person who addressed her did so in the Dabnodian language. It has been over five years now since  _anyone_  has spoken to her in Dabnodian!

Upon seeing her frightened reaction, the voice addresses her again. "Don't be scared, Dami girl. I may be a spirit, but I won't hurt you. I would never dream of hurting you. You should know that."

The second time Damiana hears it, her eyes widen to the size of saucers and she practically collapses to her knees out of shock.  _She knows that voice._  It's male, it's rugged, and it is filled with nothing but love. It has been so long since she has heard that voice. Almost nine years.

Her knees growing weak, Damiana catches herself on a nearby boulder as she looks in the voice's direction. A few feet in front of her is a man-sized boulder the color of copper. Emerging from behind it is a tall man with a long ponytail that runs the length of his back. He is considered tall by both Earth and Dabnodian standards, the man standing at well over six feet. The whole time he wears a full suit of silver armor with the crest of Dabnod etched into the breast plate, only adding to the tough persona given to him by his height.

Not only is the man tall, but it is easily seen that he is well built. He could almost be compared with a body-builder. He also has a thick jawline, five o'clock shadow, and a crescent-shaped scar on his right cheek below the eye. The scar is a deep one, as is an additional x-shape scar he has running across his left eyebrow. The fact that the man, appearing in his early forties, is a seasoned Knight is a fact that is not easily hidden. Of course, knowing this man, he would never want to hide it.

Most people would quiver in fear at the sight of this giant man who is covered in scars. Damiana, however, doesn't quiver. Instead her hair turns a shade of gold that is two shades brighter than before, and her eyes turn amber. Pushing herself up from the bolder she had herself braced against, Damiana goes sprinting toward the man with tears in her eyes. The whole time his features take on the same colors, nothing but joy seen in his eyes as he spreads out his arms. His own eyes begin welling up with tears as he speaks to her.

"I'm glad to see that you still recognize me, Dami girl. Even after all this time."

Tears streaming down her face by this point, the girl runs into his arms and engulfs the man in a tight and joyful embrace. He doesn't hesitate for a single second to return the hug.

"O-of course I recognize you, D-Daddy! I've missed you too much not to!"


	10. Part I: Inception: Chapter Ten

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, nor do I own any of the songs I use in this story._

* * *

**Part I: Inception: Chapter Ten**

The coastline for this strange yet beautiful place is practically endless, obsidian sand, fuchsia sky, and blue ocean stretching on forever. Damiana stands ankle deep in the sapphire water, the hem of her royal blue dress getting soaked. Of course, the girl doesn't care much about the dress right now. Her only focus is on the man bearing the crescent-shaped scar who walks alongside her. At some point his Dabnodian armor transformed into a dark green tunic and black pants, making him appear similar to an older, scar-faced version of Saeran. Her brother always did take after their father.

Damiana's father wades ankle-deep in the ocean as well. The cuffs of his black pants are getting wet, but similar to his daughter, the man doesn't care. His hair is bright gold and his eyes glimmer amber, the girl's features matching his exactly. As they wade through the ocean side-by-side, the two chatter away joyfully. After nine years of what was considered a permanent separation, catching up with one another is truly the happiest of occasions.

"So that's the planet you ended up on, huh? Earth. That honestly doesn't surprise me, knowing my Dami girl. You always were fascinated with that planet."

Nodding, Damiana responds to her father's comment. "Now that I think about it, I guess that's true. When I was a little girl, I loved the books you brought home from that mission Queen Guayusa sent you on. The fact that there were so many stories, languages, and different types of people on the same planet was interesting to me. Humans don't wield elements either, and they only have one heart. They have a lot less to work with than Dabnodians, and still they're able to do so much."

Looking at his daughter, the man with the crescent-shaped scar smiles. "I have to agree with you there, Damiana. Humans don't have near the capacity for languages that Dabnodians possess, they can't control the elements, and they only have one heart to depend on. Yet, humans get so much accomplished. They've built up their civilizations, managed to abolish monarchies, birthed anywhere from hundreds to thousands of languages, and have thousands of individualized cultures; all that on a planet half the size of Dabnod." Scoffing, he adds, "And what did our planet accomplish in ten million years? Fifteen provinces, a single culture, and a tyrannical monarchy."

Damiana nibbles her lower lip in apprehension, her hair fading from bright gold to a dull copper color. "Nobody else on Dabnod thought so, but humans really are an incredible race. That's why Earth is still around, and Dabnod is gone."

Her eyes, which were previously amber, fade to a shade of stormy gray. Noticing Damiana's change in demeanor, his eyes as well as his hair shifts to gray mixed with brown. Moving a few steps closer to his daughter, the man rests a large comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to keep your defenses up around me, child. It must be hard, pretending to be something you're not for all this time. Walking a foreign planet with dyed hair, false-colored eyes, unable to get close to anyone. The whole time the only emotion you feel is fear, wanting to get close to people, but terrified that they won't accept you."

Damiana doesn't know how he did it, but her father's words struck her deep. Somehow it's like he took his all-knowing, fatherly, eyes, and gazed straight into the recesses of her heart. In the five years since Dabnod's destruction, not a single person has  _ever_  been able to look past the amount of strength she possesses to see the fear buried underneath. It is because of this that copper curls turn to gray streaked with forest green. Nonetheless, the girl doesn't respond and her father continues.

"Dabnodians aren't supposed to hide, you know. Dabnodians are a proud race who love to feel, love to make bonds, and love to express themselves. Why do you think our hair and eyes change color? It's how we tell things to others without speaking." Pausing slightly, he adds with a soft smile, "If you run into the right group of humans, Damiana, I bet they'll love to make your hair and eyes change color. These will be the same people who learn to read those colors. That can be part of their bond with you."

Lips quivering slightly, Damiana lifts her face to meet her father's gaze. Stormy gray eyes filling with salty liquid, she responds to him at last. What she says causes her father to raise a brow.

"Daddy, this is going to sound like an odd question, but can you say my name again? Please?"

His hair staying the same, but his eyes shifting to green, he states simply, " _Damiana_."

Sighing in contentment, the girl gives a smile in spite of her emotions. "Thank you, Daddy. I'm sorry. It has just been so long since somebody has said it besides me." Wiping away a tear, she confesses, "I've been going by Leila for so long now, I almost forgot what my real name sounds like."

Frowning slightly, the man's hair gains some green to it as well. "I still can't believe that you changed your name, Dami girl. Why would you do that?  _'Damiana'_  is such a beautiful name."

Gray and green vanishing, Damiana's hair turns back to copper as she explains. "I really didn't want to change it. I wanted to keep my name more than anything! It's just that…when you're trying to be human…clinging to your Dabnodian name makes it very hard to pretend. Not only that, but  _'Damiana'_  sounds odd to humans; and don't even get me started on my name's direct translation… Translated directly to English, my name practically screams  _'I'm an alien'_!"

For some reason, the man gives a soft chuckle at his daughter's explanation. "The direct translation of your name might sound out of place on Earth, but  _'Damiana'_  is still just as lovely in English as it is in Dabnodian." Pausing, the man adds in amusement, "At least your name translates better than your brother's. In Dabnodian, the name  _'Saeran'_  is fitting for the toughest of warriors. In English, however,  _'Saeran'_  can be translated as  _'Ice Monkey'_. During my time on Earth, it became obvious that having a son named  _'Ice Monkey'_  isn't considered masculine."

Damiana, too, gives a laugh as her hair lightens from dull to bright copper. "Okay, I guess what you're saying is true. My name doesn't sound as bad as Saeran's." Head drooping slightly, she adds, "My name still isn't normal by Earth standards, though.  _'Damiana'_  sounds strange enough to humans, and I'm not even willing to introduce myself as that. When translated,  _'Damiana'_  turns into  _'Firelight'_. By no means would  _'Firelight'_  ever be normal."

Her father's smile never vanishes. "I don't think that's true. Under the right circumstances, your English name could be perfect. Don't you think so, Firelight?"

Shaking her head, Damiana gives a chuckle. She doesn't know when it happened, but at some point gray and copper disappeared completely. Now, as usual when her features are natural, the girl's hair is rose red and her eyes are soft pink. The whole time she responds with light sarcasm.

"Sure, Daddy. I can definitely make Firelight work. I will ask Brittney if I can borrow some of her clothes, put bright-colored streaks in with the brown, and become America's next pop sensation."

Having no idea what she's talking about, her father looks at her in confusion. "Brittney? Who is this Brittney?"

Shrugging, she explains. "Oh, Brittney isn't anybody important. I have a job singing at a café in a place called Steel City, and she is one of the regulars who always shows up. To put simply, Brittney is blonde, loud, likes to show herself off, and enjoys attention." Frowning harshly, she adds, "I never have liked her, but as of recently, I  ** _really_** don't like her. If she and her friends hadn't been clinging to Speedy, then I wouldn't have been forced to meet him and the rest of the Titans East."

All of the sudden, understanding flashes in her father's eyes which have just turned amber. "Oh, the Titans East! I'm not aware of Brittney or of this café you work at, but I am aware of them. It's only after your involvement with the Titans East that I was finally able to locate you. Before that I couldn't contact you worth anything, and I didn't know if you were alive somewhere, trapped in limbo, or if your soul got lost. It's like there was some kind of intense, negative, emotion that kept me blocked."

Confused, Damiana gapes at him. "Blocked? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I couldn't find you. It's like you were nonexistent. Whatever the Titans East did to unblock you from me, I thank them." Pausing, he continues while patting Damiana on the back. "Stick close with them, Dami girl. If they were able to unblock you from me, then maybe they will be the friends that end your fear."

The girl gives a hesitant nod. "Okay. Maybe I'll stick with them. I don't know yet, honestly." A sudden question occurring to her, Damiana makes an inquiry with her eyes wide. "If I was blocked from you, does that mean that I was blocked from Mama and Saeran too? Will they be able to contact me?"

Again the man's eyes shift to gray. "I wouldn't count on either of them contacting you, Dami girl." After a moment of hesitation, he explains. "Don't worry too much about your mother. She may not be here in the Light Realm with me, but she isn't in the Under Realm either. I wish she could be here, but unfortunately, Mama is trapped in limbo.

"I spend a few years there myself until one of the elders of the Fire Phoenix clan crossed over, ended my guilt, and freed me. He said that even if I died, my undercover mission on the planet Cintari wasn't a failure. After I was executed, they released the rest of my unit back to Dabnod just like they promised. I died, but fifteen other men were saved."

Alarmed by this, Damiana can't help but gape fearfully. "You were trapped in limbo?! Mama is trapped in limbo?! That must be torture! I mean you got out, so that's good, but what about Mama? She could be stuck in limbo feeling endless guilt for centuries!"

Sighing sadly, his hair also turns to gray as he responds. "Hey, I never said that limbo was pleasant, but it beats going to the Under Realm." After a slight pause, he continues. "As for Saeran, his case is completely identical to yours. I've tried finding him, but for some reason, I can't. He's either trapped in limbo and I haven't heard about it, his spirit got lost, or he's alive somewhere. I wish I knew where your brother's at, but I don't. Like you, there must be an extreme, negative, emotion that is keeping him blocked from me."

Sighing in disappointment, Damiana frowns as she replies. "Oh. Well I know that it isn't that last option. Saeran was training to be one of Queen Guayusa's Knights. His chances of making it off of Dabnod alive were slim to none." Giving another sigh, she adds sadly, "I really hope that his soul isn't wandering aimlessly. Besides the Under Realm, getting lost is the only fate worse than limbo."

Giving a small smile, her father counters her statement. "I wouldn't say that, Dami girl. As long as Saeran isn't in the Under Realm, there is always hope. Believe me when I say that he isn't in the Under Realm, either. In the Light Realm, we always know when somebody ends up there. Before going there, they come here and try passing through the Gate of Reckoning.

If they show up at the Gate and are denied entry, then they're taken away to the Under Realm by Dark Guardians who come specifically to escort them. However, neither Saeran nor your mother have shown up at the Gate yet, so you can rest assured. Their time hasn't come yet."

Understanding what her father is saying, Damiana gives a nod. "Okay. It's true that they're not in the Under Realm, so that's good. I still wish that they could be in the Light Realm with you, though. They would love to spend eternity here."

Smiling, the man gives his daughter a firm hug. "One day I have a feeling that they will. Once they're here, and once you're here, we can spend eternity exploring the Light Realm. This is only the level before the Gate of Reckoning, so you haven't seen anything yet." Chuckling, he adds, "Don't rush getting here, though. Okay? You're still alive, and even if Dabnod is gone, I believe that your life is one filled with purpose. If Saeran is somehow with you in the realm of the living, then he also has a purpose. It may be the end of Dabnod, but it isn't the end of you."

Doing her best not to cry once more, Damiana returns the embrace. "I understand, Daddy. No matter what happens, I will survive until the end."

Pulling back slightly, the man looks his daughter in the eye. Damiana has no idea when it happened, but at some point his hair and eyes transformed to the colors of pale blue. Currently, they're the same colors as the Earth's sky.

"No, Damiana. I don't want you to survive. I want you to  _live_."

* * *

Jump City: Titans West Tower

The Next Morning

"What?! I can't come with you?! Dude, that is so unfair! What about our men-only road trip?!"

The five Titans and Frostbite stand in the garage, Cyborg working on the T-car, and everyone else watching from a distance. Expressions of seriousness and nonchalance paint over everyone's faces. All besides Beast Boy's, that is. Rather, his face appears put-off and angry.

Lifting up his head from its place under the hood, Cyborg replies to the green Titan. "Sorry, but this isn't a road trip, BB. The Titans East have some important technology that they got from Black Shadow, and they want me to check it out. Black Shadow just declared war on us, and the information I learn from that machine of his could be vital."

"Not to mention that they've also gotten very involved with this Leila girl," adds Robin from a few feet away. Sounding concerned, he continues. "I didn't want to tell you this in front of the Titans East, but Cyborg, while you're there, find out as much about Leila as you can. We need to figure out what kind of powers she has, and I want it confirmed that she is our ally. The Titans East might trust her, but I want to make sure that we can trust her, too. Remember, if she joins the Titans East, then she becomes one of us."

Once Robin is through speaking, Cyborg is ready to respond. Before he does, however, Beast Boy beats him to it. He still sounds just as put-off as he did a second ago.

"So Cyborg gets to go to Steel City, play with fancy technology, and meet the Titans East's new girl, while I'm stuck here with the Ice Wizard?! Seriously, I can't play video games with Frostbite! He never laughs at my jokes, and his personality's so cold it gives me chills!"

Knowing that the man he speaks of is in the room, the other Titans turn sharp glares on the green boy. The only one who doesn't glare is Frostbite, who observes the scene in nonchalance. Realizing what he'd just said at long last, Beast Boy rubs the back of his neck and chuckles in discomfort.

"Not that being cold is a bad thing. A lot of good things are cold! Like…uh…tofu ice cream!" Pausing, he adds with another chuckle, "Uh…I like the ponytail…"

Confused by his last statement, Starfire looks at Beast Boy wide-eyed. "But friend Beast Boy, as I recall, you stated that you are not at all fond of the length of friend Frostbite's hair. You said that it is 'girly' and makes him look like a man from the historical period of the French Renaissance."

The Tamaranean doesn't notice, but Beast Boy's and Cyborg's eyes widen in fear at her words. Meanwhile, from their places several feet behind her, Robin and Raven slap aggravated palms to their foreheads. The whole time Frostbite doesn't react. He simply stands in place like a statue until turning around and heading for the stairs. If the Titans didn't know any better, they would almost swear that he sounds mildly annoyed when he speaks.

"Thank you for showing me the T-car, Cyborg. It's very impressive. I wish you a safe journey." Pausing slightly, he adds, "Now if you'll excuse me, my ponytail and I are going to go set up my room."

With that being said, the pony-tailed man steps into the stairwell and out of sight. Once he's gone, they stand in the garage silently for several long minutes before somebody finally speaks. The person who breaks the silence is none other than Raven.

"Hopefully you're not gone for too long, Cyborg. Something tells me that while you're gone, things in Jump City are going to remain interesting."

* * *

Steel City: Titans East Tower

Damiana has never felt so comfortable when sleeping before. Since coming to Earth, she has always slept on park benches, under canopies, or in abandon buildings to name a few places. Sure the girl has a motel room now, but the mattress it has is filled with springs and uncomfortable lumps. Even if it wasn't, Damiana wouldn't be able to sleep well, anyway.

With fights breaking out in the rooms around her, guns going off, and police sirens blaring for half the night, she usually wakes up to check the locks on her door every two hours. On most nights, every two hours is the bare minimum that she wakes up. When it gets really noisy, it is sometimes every forty-five minutes.

Sometimes even her fire isn't enough to make Damiana feel safe. After all, if she is in bed sleeping, activating her fire is impossible. When Damiana sleeps, so does her fire. Thus, if someone ever broke in, there wouldn't be any way for her to defend herself. Because of this, the girl makes sure that she never sleeps too soundly. Or at least this was true until today, anyway.

In spite of the fact that it goes against her every instinct, Damiana went to sleep and stayed asleep. She can't quite remember where she's at, but the mattress she's on is comfortable, and the blankets are warm. There aren't any sirens, gunshots, or angry voices cursing at each other. The room she's in doesn't smell of mildew and rat feces. Instead the room smells clean, and the whole environment has a cozy feel to it. It has been a long time since Damiana has felt this…s _afe_.

Flipping over so that she's on her stomach, Damiana pulls the covers up so that they're all the way up to her neck. Head buried in the soft pillows, the girl feels like she could sleep for ten more hours. Of course, despite her drowsiness, Damiana is still awake to the point of stirring. As she stirs, she hears voices speaking in English. As of yet she is unable to place who the voices belong to, but still she listens.

"…I'm just saying that I'm getting worried about her. She has been asleep for twelve straight hours! It isn't normal for people to sleep that long," says a concerned, male, voice.

It is a female voice that responds, sounding equally concerned. "Don't go around thinking you're the only one. I'm worried about her, too. I checked on her an hour ago, and she was completely passed out. The lightning she used really must have taken it out of her."

"Are you sure it's just the lightning?" A different male voice inquires. "Leila does work a lot of different jobs to scrape by. The night that she called us, she was on her way home from a late night babysitting job. With the work and then with Black Shadow, maybe all of it was too much and she passed out from exhaustion."

It takes a moment, but at last the first voice speaks again. "Maybe you're right. I definitely hope you're right. If she's just tired, then at least we know that she isn't dying or something."

Suddenly, upon hearing the first voice a second time, the girl's eyes pop open and she sits up like she'd been hit by ice water. That voice.  _She knows that voice._  After everything that has happened recently, Damiana would know that voice anywhere. Upon making the connection, the girl is immediately able to guess her location.

False green eyes widening, Damiana gapes around the room. It is large; larger than her entire motel room, and ten times as pretty. The walls, Damiana notes, are painted mostly yellow and have black trim running along the ceiling's edges. Shoved against one wall is a bookshelf, and beside it is a desk. There are several framed pictures hanging up as well, which Damiana doesn't look at too closely.

Instead she looks over at what appears to be the door to a walk-in closet. Beside it is a dresser, next to that is a screen that is meant for getting dressed behind, and in the corner is a full-length mirror. Only a few feet away from the mirror, directly across from where she sits, is a sliding metal door that most likely serves as an exit. Peering down slightly, Damiana also takes note of how large the queen-sized bed is, and how the comforter is patterned with black and yellow stripes.

This definitely isn't her motel room, that's for sure. Not having a single doubt about where she's at, the girl's instant guess is that she is somewhere inside Titans Tower. The lightning did leave her pretty weak, and when she fell unconscious, who was there the help her other than the Titans? Or, more specifically, a certain arrogant archer with red hair, but Damiana doesn't want to think about that.

Slapping a palm to her forehead, she grumbles internally.  _"Hopefully he didn't carry me back here bridal style! Just the thought of it is humiliating!"_

Directly after the thought, that is when somebody speaks again. Now that she is awake, Damiana realizes that the voices are coming from the other side of the sliding metal door. The person speaking being female, there is no doubt that it is the Titan leader, Bumblebee.

"Why don't you two go back to the common room while I check on Leila again? If we're lucky, maybe she'll be awake this time."

"Okay," states the voice that Damiana recognizes as Speedy's. "If she's awake, we probably shouldn't crowd her. I don't think that she would respond well to that."

"Let us know how she's doing, okay?" says Aqualad simply.

Sounding both concerned and kind, she replies, "Don't worry, I will. I'll be out to the common room in a minute."

Once that is said, the sound of masculine footsteps are heard retreating down the unseen corridor. Though she'd made this guess previously, the girl is now completely certain that she is in Bumblebee's room. Sitting up further, Damiana leans so that her back is against the bed's headboard as the metal door slides open.

She doesn't know why, but for some reason the girl feels nervous as the winged Titan enters the room. Last night before passing out, she thought for sure that ending up in Titans Tower would make her angry. Surprisingly, she doesn't feel any irritation at all. The only thing Damiana feels regarding her presence in Titans Tower is discomfort.

_"Wow, Damiana, what is with you? You're never nervous about anything! Could this be because of your strange dream about Daddy?"_

Damiana immediately shoves the thought aside as the sliding metal door opens completely. A moment later the winged Titan appears in the doorway, her eyes wide at the sight of her awakened form. Bumblebee simply stands in place for a second, staring at Damiana with surprised brown eyes. Damiana returns her gaze hesitantly, unsure of what to say, what to do, or how to act. It's one thing talking to superheroes about a criminal inside of a café, or fighting alongside them against a crazy villain. Waking up inside one of their rooms, on the other hand, is a different thing entirely.

It takes a moment, but eventually Bumblebee gives a cheerful smile an enters the room completely. She doesn't fly, but rather, walks across the pearl gray carpeting. It is only once she has reached the foot of the bed that the Titan speaks.

"You're awake! Well isn't that a relief! We were starting to get worried about you."

Another moment of silence passes, Damiana feeling very uncertain of how to respond to the comment. At last, when the girl does speak, it is in the form of a question.

"Who brought me here? I thought that I would wake up somewhere…but not in your Tower."

Moving from the foot of the bed to the right side, Bumblebee sits on the bed's edge as she explains. "Aqualad and Speedy both brought you back here, but Speedy's the one who carried you. He told us that you took out Black Shadow's robots with some kind of large scale lightning attack, and that it knocked you unconscious." Pausing, she adds, "He was pretty irked at you for not telling him the side effects of the lighting; worried too. It'll make him glad knowing that you're awake."

The very mention of Speedy is all it takes for her nervousness to instantly morph into irritation. Crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, the girl speaking using heavy sarcasm.

"He carried me back to the Tower,  _and_  he's worried about me. It's a dream come true."

For a moment Damiana is expecting Bumblebee to gape at her in shock. When the dark-skinned girl starts to release fits of giggles, however, it is the pale-faced one who is surprised.

"I can definitely confirm to him and the others that you're alright. Even after helping us fight Black Shadow, I can tell that you still don't like Speedy."

Though she still feels a tad drowsy, Damiana kicks away the covers and gets to her feet as she replies. "Hey, don't get me wrong. I can work with him in battle if I need to. When it comes to fighting, he's got skill. Of course, anything other than that, I'm not willing to be friends with him. Or any of the Titans for that matter. I don't belong here. My place is the streets, working hard and getting by."

Standing up, Bumblebee looks at her with a disappointed frown. "That doesn't sound like much of a life." Pausing slightly, she continues. "It's not like I'm trying to hold you captive here, but you're not leaving right now, are you? It's already two in the afternoon, so you probably missed most of your jobs. Why don't you stay for a while? We can let you use our shower, and you can have something to eat. After sleeping for twelve hours, you're probably hungry."

Upon hearing the time, Damiana's eyes widen. "Did you say two in the afternoon? It isn't really that late, is it?"

Noting the anxiety on her face, Bumblebee nods. "Yep. It's after two. You slept for a long time."

Those short words of confirmation are all it takes for her eyes to widen further and her mouth to hang agape. Both hearts racing, the girl begins pacing around the room as if she'd forgotten that the winged Titan is there. Panic seen clearly in her gaze, the girl begins ranting. Lucky for her, she remembers Bee's presence just in time to use English in her moment of distress.

"It's two in the afternoon?! How can it be after two?! How the heck did I sleep that long?! Nobody in their right mind sleeps that long; not when they have to pay rent! If I don't meet rent this month, Mr. Peterson is going to kill me! How could I be stupid enough to let this happen?!"

Damiana paces the room like this for several endless moments, appearing more panicked at the thought of not being able to pay rent then she did of fighting Black Shadow. Immediately picking up on this small fact, Bumblebee stares at Damiana in curiosity. A minute or so later she does cease pacing, though it isn't for the reasons that Bumblebee would've hoped. Facing the Titans with bloodshot green eyes, the girl speaks to her.

"I'm sorry, Bumblebee, but I can't stay here. I have to go. Thanks for bringing me back to your Tower and letting me sleep here. I really do appreciate it, but I need to get back to my motel room so I can make some calls. The people I work for are going to think that I'm skipping my jobs otherwise."

The small frown Bumblebee wears never vanishes. Eyeing the girl, she speaks to her with a mixture of kindness and caution. "It's okay, Leila. I understand that you have other things in life to worry about besides the Titans. Of course, I still think that you should at least take me up on the offer of using our shower."

Damiana, while still visibly nervous, quirks an irritated brow at the statement. "I have a shower back at my motel room. I may be broken financially, but I at least have that much."

Clearing her throat in an uncomfortable fashion, Bumblebee explains further. "I know. When we met yesterday, you were clean, so I guessed that. But today…you don't look as clean as you did yesterday…"

Before Damiana can say anything in response, Bee moves toward the corner of the room with the full-length mirror. Taking the mirror in her arms, the winged girl flies the reflective object to where she stands in the room's center. For a moment Damiana has no idea why it is she's doing this. Once the mirror is sat in front of her, however, the alien girl learns the exact reason. Before looking at her reflection, Damiana wanted to leave the Tower and begin trekking across town. Of course, now that she's actually seeing herself, she suddenly wants to hide under Bee's covers and not allow a single soul to see her.

Wide-eyed, the girl sees a reflection that is very different from the one she saw the day prior. Her brown curls, which used to be neat and orderly, are now a thick rat's nest of snarls that will be nearly impossible to untangle. Not only that, but it appears a tad oily as well.

Damiana's eyes, while they handle contact lenses better than humans due to the energy from her second heart that coats her corneas, are still incredibly bloodshot. They're so bloodshot that it almost looks like she has a case of pinkeye.

 _"That's what I get for sleeping in them,"_  says Damiana to herself. Then she adds,  _"But it's not like I had much of an option."_

Bloodshot emerald eyes straying away from that part of her reflection, she takes note of the fact that her face also appears oily. Damiana also notices that her clothes are wrinkled from sleep, and that there is a thin coating of ash on them from using her fire. Not to mention that she has worn the same pair of jeans and same black sweatshirt for three days straight, and they're starting to smell a bit foul. The girl really should invest in more than two sweatshirts and two pairs of jeans…

It takes a lengthy few seconds, but eventually the sight of her reflection sinks in. When it does, she expresses her distress verbally.

"What the heck happened to me?!" The girl exclaims in shocked horror. "I've never looked this awful in my life! I look like a complete wreck! I can't go across town looking like this!"

Resting a hand atop the mirror, Bee gives a shrug followed by a smile. "Believe me. I know how you're feeling. It took a year as leader of the Titans East for me to let anyone else on the team see me first thing in the morning. It's okay for a woman to look like a wreck; just not in front of guys." Giggling, the dark-skinned girl adds, "Why do you think I haven't been letting Speedy, Aqualad, or Mas and Menos step foot in here?"

Turning her gaze away from the mirror and toward the Titan, Damiana returns her smile. She might not like Speedy, but she has to admit that she does like Bumblebee. Other than Darcy and this one old woman she works for, never has she met a person who has shown her such honest kindness. As strange as it is, it almost makes her want to stay for a short while. She does always carry a spare pair of contact lenses, so the fact that she needs to put in a different pair isn't preventing her from staying…

Looking from Bumblebee, to her reflection, and back again, she speaks once more. "The offer to use your shower is still available, right?"

Again, the Titan nods. "Absolutely." Pausing momentarily, she asks, "Do you need to borrow some clothes and a hair brush? I have plenty to spare, so I don't mind."

Feeling bad about having to take things from her, Damiana is prepared to tell her no. However, when the smell of ash and body odor hits her after inhaling deeply, the girl's mind is instantly changed.

This time, rather than smiling, the alien girl gives a nod. "That would be good. Thank you."

Moving the mirror back to the corner, she replies cheerfully. "Don't mention it. Now hold on while I get you some clothes. You're pretty small, so they might be kind of loose, but they'll do."

* * *

_A Short Time Later…_

Bumblebee's room was certainly nice, but the Titan's bathroom is even nicer. The floor is covered by glimmering white tiles, the walls in blue tiles, and there isn't a rat or a spider in sight. There isn't a single stain on the white porcelain of the toilet or the sink, and the black granite of the vanity is spotless. Built into the bathroom's back left corner is a massive shower stall coated in black tile, with a large glass door that reaches from top to bottom. Across from the shower in the back right corner is a large garden tub of flawless white porcelain.

Until now, Damiana had no idea that a person could fall in love with a bathroom; or a shower stall, for that matter. The stall is very roomy, she doesn't have to be on the lookout for spiders, and the water here is actually warm. There would be warm water back at her motel room, but Mr. Peterson charges extra for it. With as much as it costs and as little as she has, Damiana usually skips the warm water and suffers through cold showers. So honestly, Bumblebee has no idea how much the use of their shower is actually appreciated.

After washing her entire body down with lavender-scented soap three times, washing her hair with pomegranate-scented shampoo twice, and using conditioner, Damiana finally feels clean. Following cleaning herself, the alien girl stood for approximately twenty minutes, allowing the wondrous feel of warm water to wash over her skin.

How long Damiana has been in the shower for, she hasn't a clue. All she knows is that at some point she turns off the water, opens the glass door, and steps out onto the cold tile. The cool air hits her like a flood, forcing Damiana to wrap her arms around herself as she crosses the room to grab a towel.

"I shouldn't have spent so long in there. Then maybe it wouldn't feel so cold," Damiana says aloud in Dabnodian.

Once this is said, she grabs a towel and swiftly dries off before dressing. If there's one thing that Damiana can thank her lucky stars for, it's that while she only has two pairs of jeans and two sweatshirts, she owns eight pairs of panties and three bras. So even if the rest of her clothes are covered in stench from too much wear, her undergarments are still relatively clean.

Happy that she didn't have to ask the Titan Leader for anything too embarrassing, Damiana slips into her own undergarments. Following this, she puts on a pair of dark blue jeans that are two sizes too big, and that are much too long on her. Bumblebee as to be anywhere from five-foot-seven to five-foot-eight, while Damiana is only five-foot-three. Thus, why the jeans are so large on her. It is because of this that Damiana is happy to discover that Bee's green tank top and light gray sweatshirt fit her much better. They're still large on her, but they fit decently, nonetheless.

As soon as she is finished dressing, Damiana picks up the hairbrush that was lent to her and gets to work on detangling her curls. The girl's clean pair of contact lenses are already in and her eyes are no longer pink, so all that's left for her to deal with is her hair. With the tangled mass it is currently in, this is obviously going to take her a while.

Meanwhile, as the girl brushes, it is heard as two voices argue from outside the door. Or at least one of them is arguing, anyway. The other just sounds amused. With as loud as they are, missing what they're saying is impossible.

"You jerk! How could you do this to me after you promised you'd stop?! I've been cheated and lied to!"

Though she hasn't heard him speak as much as Bee and Speedy, Damiana is instantly able to place this voice as Aqualad's. She can't help but arch a brow at how angry he sounds. When the voice she recognizes as Speedy's responds, this brow arches further.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I kept my promise," the archer says smugly. Then he adds, "I haven't eaten a fish taco in months, just like I said."

"That's your excuse?! Laying off of fish tacos doesn't help if you're eating fish sticks! The kitchen looks like some kind of fish graveyard! Why would you buy an industrial-sized box of fish sticks?! We sent you to the store for eggs and cereal!"

By now Speedy is chuckling. "They were on sale. You know I can't resist a good bargain."

Damiana didn't think it was possible, but Aqualad sounds angrier than before.

"That isn't true! That's a lie! You could care a less about saving money! You hate shopping more than you hate washing dishes!" Pausing, he adds in irritation, "Sometimes I think you like to do things purposely to torture me!"

Speedy is no longer chuckling. Rather, he is laughing openly in amusement.

"You're just now figuring this out?"

This time the aquatic man doesn't reply. Instead he gives a shout of irritation prior to stomping down the hallway and grumbling to himself. Damiana doesn't know why, but she can't help but laugh at what she just heard. The fact that he would go as far as buying an industrial-sized box of fish sticks just to annoy his teammate is… _unbelievable_! Normally this would disgust her, but admittedly, Aqualad does sound funny when he's angry. She can only imagine what his reaction was when Speedy sent Brittney and the miniskirt crew after him a few days ago. It must have been hilarious!

As she laughs, Damiana scolds herself internally in Dabnodian.  _"Shut up, Damiana! There is nothing funny about Teen Titans torturing each other! Now get a grip on yourself before he hears you!"_

Sadly, the alien girl's self-scolding comes too late. A second later the archer's voice is heard once more. The only difference is that, this time, he isn't speaking to one of his teammates. What he says actually causes Damiana to blush.

"Well, it sounds like somebody's happy. Either you enjoy torturing Aqualad too, or you just had a really nice shower."

Upon hearing him speak, the girl doesn't say a word. Shutting her mouth tightly in order to avoid conversation, she continues brushing her hair vigorously. Surprisingly, it's starting to look somewhat neat again.

Meanwhile, Speedy speaks once more. This time he sounds slightly offended.

"What, is this the silent treatment or something? We let you sleep here, let you use our shower, and are about to share our food with you. Last night I carried you across the city! The least you could do is talk to me."

Running the brush through her hair to untangle it farther, she replies bluntly. "No, I'm not giving you the silent treatment. I appreciate it that you didn't leave my unconscious body back at your villain's hideout; thanks for that. But you need to know right now that we're not friends. Whether or not you heard me laugh doesn't matter, because the moment I step out of this bathroom I'm leaving and not coming back."

A moment of silence passes before the archer responds. If he didn't sound offended before, then he definitely does now.

"What?! After everything we've gone through, you're up and out of here just that fast?! Black Shadow isn't the Titans' villain anymore, Leila! You agreed to help us, you fought alongside us, and Black Shadow has you pegged as our ally! He's your villain too, and the Titans  _are_  your friends!" Pausing slightly, he adds, "You agreed to using our shower, and even if you don't want to admit it, I did something to make you laugh. That has to mean that you're friends with us on some level."

Sighing in irritation, Damiana marches over to the door with the brush in hand. Her hair still has quite a few snarls in it, but she doesn't care. Instead, the moment the sliding metal door opens, the alien girl looks at him sternly. He stands only a few feet away from the door, staring her down in return.

"Listen, Speedy. I really do appreciate everything the Titans have done, and I didn't mind helping you take down Black Shadow's robots. I was there, I helped you guys out, and the Titans East helped me. You may not like it, but that's really all there is to it." Running a hand through her curls in frustration, she sighs before continuing. "I'm not a Teen Titan, and I never will be. I don't belong in the hero world. My place is elsewhere."

This time it is Speedy's turn to sigh in frustration.

"Look. I know your life has been hard. I can tell just by looking at you that you haven't had it easy. That doesn't mean that you have to keep pushing us away, though. I'll admit that I didn't like you at first, but after we took down those robots, I thought that maybe we could be friends. Bumblebee, Aqualad, Mas and Menos, they want to be your friends, too. Together we could help take down Black Shadow." Hesitating, the archer gives another sigh before continuing. "I'm not usually one for compliments, but I'll be honest. You'd make a great Titan."

Once he's finished speaking, Damiana doesn't answer. She doesn't glare at him, either. Instead the girl gapes at him in a combination of shock and disbelief. The whole time she stutters surprised statement inside of her head.

_"F-Friend?! He really thinks of himself as my f-friend?! How did this happen?!"_

It takes a lengthy moment, but eventually she regains the ability to speak. When this happens, she doesn't sound stern. Rather, the girl sounds frightened. While speaking, she rushes back into the bathroom to gather her sweatshirt, jeans, and the tank top that she'd worn previously.

"I need to get out of here. I can't stay here for another second."

Her clothes in her arms, Damiana rushes past Speedy and dashes down the hallway. As he watches her, Speedy's face is filled with shock and confusion. Never has he ever seen her act scared before. The only thing that frightens her more is when the very confused archer steps forward to grab her by the shoulder. No longer does he sound angry, but instead he sounds genuinely apologetic.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I made you upset. I have no idea what I did, but it wasn't on purpose."

It isn't just his words that get to her this time, but his touch. Feeling both angry and taken off guard, she turns to shout at him. Only, due to the intensity of her emotions, Damiana forgets one very important rule that she sticks to whenever speaking to humans.  _Use English._

Shrugging his hand off of her shoulder and turning to glare at him, she yells loudly _, "Stay away from me!"._  Of course, even if that is what the words spoken mean in English, that isn't at all what comes out. Instead, this is what Speedy hears:

"Nax granixindath!"

Features filling with surprise, Speedy raises his hand away from her shoulder and takes several steps backward. Realizing the words that left her mouth, Damiana's false green eyes widen fearfully and she slaps a hand over her mouth. His gaze never leaving the girl, Speedy speaks out in shock.

"W-what did you just say? What the heck was that?!"

Afraid of accidentally using her native tongue again, Damiana doesn't respond. Hand still covering her mouth, she turns and sprints down the hallway. A very confused Speedy is left in her wake.

* * *

Jump City: Titans West Tower

_Meanwhile…_

The room was completely bare when he got here this morning, but after spending many long hours putting it together in solitude, it is finally starting to feel like home. Even so, the young pony-tailed man doesn't consider this his personal home. To him, this room simply serves as  _"Frostbite's"_  home. The same can be said for his apartment on the other side of town. His small yet clean apartment, this sizable room in Titans Tower, none of it is home to Saeran. All of it he considers home to  _Frostbite_. His home,  _Saeran's home_ , is gone forever; and it always will be.

Sitting in the center of his twin-sized bed with the icy blue covers, Saeran tosses his mask so that it lays partly on and partly off of his bedside table. He never admits this, not even to himself, but Saeran never feels more pain then when he is near the Titans. Seeing them together, happy and laughing like they're family, makes him remember that he lost his own family. Mama, Damiana, the rest of the Fire Phoenix clan, Adriel and his sister, his fellow Knights, all of them are gone. The worst part is that no matter how hard he tries, he can never seem to move on. Dabnod was his life. He was a Knight, and now the one thing he was training to protect is gone.

"I wish something would happen to help me get over this," whispers Saeran to himself. "For just one day, I wish I could forget Dabnod and move on!"

Saeran has said this to himself a million times. Of course, no matter how many times he says it, it never works. In the end, the memories always come back to haunt him. Whether they're happy memories, sad memories, or memories of his roughest days of Knight training, it doesn't matter. In the end they always haunt him, and they always make his heart ache.

All of the sudden, in his mind's eyes, Saeran sees himself at twelve years old. He is running through a purple field filled to the brim with wildflowers. Like usual back on Dabnod, Saeran wears his dark green tunic and black pants as well as his ponytail that hangs just past his shoulders. Beside him is another boy, this boy wearing a dark blue tunic and brown pants along with a ponytail that hangs to his waist. He was a year younger than Saeran, though he looked a year older. He was more skilled at swordsmanship, too, and could control his heart energy better. Saeran was never jealous, though. This boy was his best friend from the time they were small to the point of toddling.

_"You're never going to beat me, Saeran! I don't care if you are from the province's strongest clan! One day the Ground Badger clan is going to stomp the Fire Phoenix clan!"_

Performing a few simple hand movements, the boy wearing the blue tunic tossed several medium-sized boulders his way. Laughing, Saeran dodged the boulders and shot icicles at him.

_"Don't count me out yet, Adriel! Sure I got stuck with the recessive element and not the dominant, but I'm going to make my father and the Fire Phoenix elders proud! I'll be the best Knight Dabnod has ever seen, and I'll keep our planet safe! You'll see!"_

His eyes turning a shade of stormy gray, Saeran does his best to hold back tears at the memory. A second later another memory comes, the same purple field with the wildflowers in place. The only difference is that this time he and Adriel are older. Saeran appears to be about fourteen, and Adriel thirteen. Not only that, but instead of tossing their elements at each other, they're sparing playfully with wooden swords. Much to his humiliation at the time, Saeran was losing.

_"Ha! I said that you would never beat me, Saeran! Glory for the Ground Badger clan!"_

Despite his embarrassment, Saeran remembers smirking smugly.  _"Glory for the Ground Badger clan, huh? Then how come Knight Master Urrvink got mad and made you polish the armor yesterday?"_

Adriel wasn't bothered by his comment. All he did was laugh _. "That's the argument you're using against me? He made you polish the armor, too!"_

Rolling his eyes, Saeran spoke bluntly.  _"Master Urrvink needs to calm down before he dies of a stroke. It's not like we did anything bad! We just tried combining our powers to form a new technique."_

Again Adriel laughed.  _"Yeah, and we ended up knocking down half of Queen Guayusa's stable in a mudslide and setting the ice phoenixes free!"_

Shrugging, he went at Adriel more intensely with his wooden sword as he replied.  _"Oops."_

Rolling his eyes, the other boy replied jestingly with sarcasm.  _"Yeah, oops."_

Saeran remembers that they planned on spending the whole day sparring that day. He can also remember how badly their plans failed. Before they could spar for another second, a voice came from behind them. It was the lovely and innocent voice of Adriel's younger sister. She was only a year younger than Adriel and two years younger than Saeran, but she seemed so much more mature.

At twelve years old she had the beauty of someone who was two years older, and the intelligence of a grown woman. There was never anyone else like her. Her name was every bit as lovely as everything else about her;  _Jaegana_. Even now, after all this time, he can still remember her carefree laughter as she walked across the field to meet them. Before he even had the chance to look at Jaegana, he could still tell it was her just because of her beautiful laugh.

 _"You get my brother into more trouble, don't you, Saeran? Our mother wants to keep you separated from Adriel, you know. She thinks that you're a troublemaker."_  He can remember how timid she sounded during this next part; so timid, that he almost wasn't sure if it was Jaegana who said these words.  _" **I**  don't think you're a troublemaker, though. Just mine and Adriel's mother."_

Remembering the pure sound of her voice, Saeran's eyes begin welling up with tears. He'd never met a girl stronger yet more innocent than Adriel's sister. Not even Damiana was as innocent as Jaegana was, as she was able to fight, and even kill a Tamaranean man on the day of Dabnod's destruction, without batting an eye. Jaegana was a capable fighter too, but she could never do it without batting an eye like the people in the Fire Phoenix clan. That girl was something else, and Saeran loved her for it.

Giving a pained sigh, the pony-tailed man reaches a hand to the nape of neck where his ponytail is held in place. Using his middle finger, he traces over the crevices of his hair tie. It isn't a normal hair tie from a general store, but a thin metal band made out of gold. Holding the golden band together is a silver charm whose design appears similar to a sideways hourglass trapped inside of a diamond.

"Don't worry, Jaegana. Your Zirnoth Charm hasn't left me once. It's just as I promised," whispers the man in the Dabnodian language.

With these painful memories zooming through his head, all Saeran wants to do is curl up on his bed and stay locked in his room for ten more hours. Though one of the Titans is gone, he can't go out there in front of the rest of them; not in this condition.

Before the man has a chance to pull himself together, however, that is when echoing knocking comes from the door's other side. For a moment he is afraid that it might be Starfire who has come to his door, asking if he is okay after being locked in his room all day. Or he thinks that it might be Beast Boy come to challenge him to his favorite racing game, needing somebody to play with in Cyborg's absence. It is only lucky for him that it is neither of them. As if the fates have decided to bless him for once, the person on the other side of the door just so happens to be Raven.

"I'm sorry, Frostbite. I don't mean to disturb you. I just need to ask you something."

Wiping the tears away from his eyes, Saeran tugs the mask back on as he replies to her through the door. "Don't worry, Raven. You aren't disturbing me at all. Whatever you want to ask me, feel free to ask it."

The dark Titan doesn't hesitate to do as he says. Her usual monotone having a bit of an odd lilt to it, she comes right out with what she wants to say.

"This might sound strange, especially since you have been in your room all day, but I thought that I should ask anyway." Pausing slightly, she continues. "Have you seen Beast Boy at all? I just remembered that I haven't seen him since Cyborg left, and neither have Robin and Starfire."

Brow raising beneath his mask, he replies in befuddlement. "No, I haven't seen him. Not since he told me that my personality is cold like tofu ice cream."

Disappointment ringing through her voice, Raven gives a response. "Okay. I guess I can confirm to Robin and Starfire that you haven't seen him either. Thanks." Hesitating once more, the dark girl asks another question. This question is completely unrelated to the previous topic. "Would you like to come out of your room for a while? Robin and Starfire are leaving in a few minutes to see a movie. It will just be the two of us here. We could play a game of chess if you'd like."

For some reason, Saeran smiles in spite of his previous sadness. "Sure, why not? I would love to play chess. I've never played before in my life, but it would be nice to learn."

Her monotone is still in place, but happiness is heard there as well. "Good. Now come on out. There's some leftover pizza we can eat while we're playing."

Standing up from his bed, Saeran moves toward his room's exit. "Okay, I'm coming."

* * *

Steel City: Lola's Cafe

_Later That Night…_

"Leila, are you sure you're okay to sing tonight? You look like you're going to be sick."

Damiana stands at the foot of the stairs leading up to the small wooden platform that is built into the café's back wall. Once she got back to her motel room after dashing out of the Titans East's Tower, she finally finished brushing her hair, she got a peanut butter sandwich, and she called all of the people she missed working for earlier to apologize. In the past few hours since leaving the Titans behind, everything has gone completely back to normal; or at least this is what she tells herself, anyway.

For some reason, from the moment she ran out onto the street and away from the Titans, Damiana has felt completely sick. Not sick in terms of feeling nauseous or unwell. Rather, it is her personality that has been affected. She has felt confused and upset all day, causing her to suffer from awful migraines and for her skin to turn pale. Of course, from the eyes of someone else, it truly does look like she feels physically ill.

Darcy, whose pale blonde hair is pulled into its usual bun at the nape of her neck and who is adorned by her blue waitress uniform, stares at her with concern. Apparently several of the surrounding people heard the young waitress' comment, because they, too, begin eyeing her worriedly. This only causes Damiana to sigh. She is absolutely  _not_  in the mood for this.

Picking up her guitar, which has already been tuned, the girl steps onto the platform's bottom stair as she replies to her concerned friend. "Don't worry about me, Darcy. I'm fine. I've had a rough couple of days, but everything is okay now. Life is good."

Shoving a strand of hair that has come free from her bun behind her ear, Darcy gazes at her with skeptical cerulean eyes. Damiana doesn't pay this much attention, though. Instead, the adolescent girl asks the waitress one quick question before starting tonight's ritual of endless singing.

"The first song that was requested for tonight was that song by Ashes Remain, right? What was it called?  _'On My Own'_?"

Skepticism never leaving her gaze, Darcy replies easily. "Yes.  _'On My Own'_  by Ashes Remain. That's the right song." After a short moment of hesitation, she asks, "And what do you mean you've had a rough couple of days? What happened to you?"

Sighing deeply, the girl makes one final statement before ascending the stairs the rest of the way. "What happened doesn't matter. It's over and done with."

Once this is said, Damiana doesn't look at Darcy again. She makes it to the top of the platform and walks over to the microphone. She hasn't said a single word at this point, neither has she done anything significant, yet the entire café is bursting into applause. They shout out phrases such as  _"Whoo! Go, Leila!"_ ,  _"You're the best!"_ ,  _"Sing forever!"_ , and  _"Are you sure you aren't looking for a boyfriend? My offer is still available!"_.

Damiana, however, doesn't hear a single one of them. Her only focus is on the first song that she is supposed to sing. She did a quick run-through of it on her guitar before coming here, as well as several of the others. Of course, for a reason unknown to her, tonight's first song bothers her greatly. If she could, she would skip over it and start with the second song. Of course, Damiana knows that she can't do this. She promised that person who made the request that she would sing this song a week ago. She doesn't want to hurt a customer's feelings, not to mention make the café look bad.

It is for these reasons that, in spite of her feelings, the girl speaks into the microphone.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to Lola's Café. I hope that all of you have been having a good time tonight." Damiana pauses as the crowd cheers, waiting for the noise to die down before speaking. Once it is again quiet, she continues. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Leila, and I am the last singer of the night. Because of this, I will do my very best to make the rest of your evening enjoyable. So order some food, have fun with your friends, and enjoy the music."

Once that is said, Damiana takes a seat on the wooden stool and adjusts her guitar as the crowd again cheers loudly. Only after the noise dies down once more does the girl start the song. She was really hoping that this wouldn't be the case, but from the moment she starts strumming the notes on the guitar, this song is a hard one for her. The only song that could compare to this one in terms of emotion is  _"Looking for Angels"_  by Skillet. The only difference is that this one is harder still. For what reason? Because it forces her to have thoughts that she was trying so very hard to ignore.

Gulping nervously, Damiana takes one final deep breath and begins singing the song lyrics.

"There's gotta be another way out. I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt. I've tried forever getting out on my own.

"But every time I do this my way, I get caught in the lies of the enemy. I lay my troubles down, I'm ready for you now.

"Bring me out. Come and find me in the dark now. Every day by myself I'm breaking down. I don't wanna fight alone anymore.

"Bring me out, from the prison of my own pride. My God, I need a hope I can't deny.

"In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own."

Taking a short gasp of breath, Damiana forces herself to continue. It is a complete mystery to her, but suddenly her migraine from earlier is returning.

"Every little thing that I've known, is everything I need to let go. You're so much bigger than the world I have made.

"So I surrender my soul, I'm reaching out for your hope. I lay my weapons down, I'm ready for you now.

"Bring me out. Come and find me in the dark now. Every day by myself I'm breaking down. I don't wanna fight alone anymore.

"Bring me out, from the prison of my own pride. My God, I need a hope I can't deny.

"In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own."

Apparently Damiana isn't the only one who is aware of her current condition, because there are several people in the audience who are looking at her in concern. Nonetheless, she ignores them and finishes the rest of the song.

"I don't wanna be incomplete. I remember what you said to me. I don't have to fight alone.

"Bring me out. Come and find me in the dark now. Every day by myself I'm breaking down. I don't wanna fight alone anymore.

"Bring me out, from the prison of my own pride. My God, I need a hope I can't deny.

"In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own."

Once the last line of lyrics is finished, Damiana plays the last few notes on her guitar and concludes the song. By now her skin is pale and she doesn't look like herself. The people in the crowd, Darcy, and the other waitresses eye her in blatant concern. Damiana, of course, pays them no heed. Instead she quickly moves to a song that she can sing without feeling any of these intense, conflicting, emotions. It's a song that she normally hates to sing because of the fact that it is pop music and that it is outdated, but right now she is thankful for it;  _"Hit the Lights"_  by Selena Gomez.

The moment she switches to this song, her face turns less pale and her migraine goes away. A few seconds are all it takes for people to stop staring at her and to go back to whatever they were doing. Of course, as she's singing this song, her mind is still on the previous one. The whole time there is one question ringing through her head: What would have happened if she hadn't run away from Titans Tower?

_~End Part I~_


	11. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Eleven

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. (Or Walmart, or Disney music, or anything else that I might mention in this chapter)._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Eleven**

Steel City: Titans East Tower

Three Days Later

It is half past noon in Steel City. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there isn't a cloud in the sky. More than anything, the Titans East would like to be outside enjoying the day together. Sadly, for them, however, this isn't the case. During the four days since their battle with Black Shadow, and the three days since Leila ran off on them, the majority of their focus has been on figuring out how to stop the shadow-using maniac.

Making the trip from Jump City to Steel City can take anywhere from three to four days in the T-car. Because of this, Bee and Aqualad have been in the Tower's evidence room practically twenty-four seven running scans, doing research, and reverse-engineering various parts of Black Shadow's machine. They may not be as knowledgeable on technology as Cyborg, but the two of them together know enough to at least get started on it before their friend from the West Coast shows up.

Mas y Menos, too, have been doing their share. Running errands, cooking meals, doing laundry, and performing any other necessary tasks that need to be completed. With Aqualad and Bumblebee putting so much work into unlocking the mysteries behind Black Shadow's device, the twins don't mind putting in some extra effort. Sure they can't bake pie as good as Bee or even come close to matching her three bean casserole, but everyone agrees that their enchiladas can't be topped; the same can be said for Speedy's ribs.

Much like the rest of the Titans East team, Speedy has also been pulling his weight. He hasn't been purely doing household chores or deciphering Black Shadow's technology, but a mixture of both. The only difference is that rather than doing Aqualad's and Bumblebee's work of decoding the villain's machine, Speedy has been dissecting broken pieces of Black Shadow's robots that they went back and confiscated.

The redheaded archer isn't on the same level of genius as his duo of English-speaking teammates, but he is very intelligent nonetheless. Can he reverse-engineer things and run intricately detailed scans? Not at all. Though he can still take things apart, see how they connect, and figure out how they work. To him, the chest cavities of broken robots are nothing more than three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles.

When Speedy isn't examining robots, he is either running errands or preparing meals in the place of the twins. At first he wasn't willing to do either of these things, but after suffering digestive issues due to Guatemalan spices and then having Mas y Menos bring back the wrong tools from the hardware store, the archer took matters into his own hands. Never again will he be forced to use a blowtorch when what he actually needs is a screwdriver! Never will he eat twelve enchiladas with extra chili powder at once again, either… He learned a very valuable lesson that day.

Right now, however, Speedy isn't at the hardware store. Luckily, he hasn't been stuck inside of a bathroom for two straight hours, either. Currently the archer is inside of a medium-sized room without any furniture or windows. The only things the room contains are a long, metal, table covered in tools; black, blue, and silver parts of broken robots; and florescent lighting. True the room doesn't contain much, but it honestly doesn't need much.

His red, fingerless, gloves removed along with his mask, Speedy uses a large screwdriver to unscrew pieces of thick metal plating from inside of the robot's chest cavity. It has taken several hours since this morning, but Speedy finally managed to make his way past the outermost coat of metal and through a jungle of wires and computer chips to the robot's core. Surprisingly, once he made it through all of that, he ran into more metal plating. This isn't like the plating he took apart to get inside, but is instead much thicker and comes together into the shape of a three-dimensional sphere.

This sphere in the robot's chest cavity is very strange to Speedy. He has looked at the innards of five robots before this one, and absolutely nothing was at their centers. There were empty spaces to prove that something had been there, but whatever it was had been completely reduced to ashes, as if by fire. Sighing internally, Speedy also knows that it could have been lightning that reduced the previous metal spheres to ashes. Lightning so powerful that it destroyed most of the robots' power sources.

This time giving an external sigh, Speedy speaks to himself aloud. "Don't think about her, Roy.  _Don't_ think about her! Leila left, and now she's gone. Listen to Bee and Aqualad, and get over it."

Taking his own advice, he uses the screwdriver along with a large pair of pliers and continues with his attempts to pry apart the plating. Of course, even with as hard as he's trying, the thoughts of the fire user don't leave his mind. They've been gone since he woke up this morning, but now that the thoughts are back, they aren't going away. Knowing very well how his mental processes work, Speedy can tell that they're here to stay for the rest of the day. Because of this, he doesn't fight them. He lets the thoughts come.

Leila lead them to Black Shadow's hideout. She revealed her superpowers to them. She fought side-by-side with the Titans East in the boldest and most fearless fashion that he has ever seen from a civilian. Then they brought her back to their Tower where she slept and used their shower. Why, after all that, would Leila even  _dream_  of leaving them?! What is it?! Does she hate him that much?! Does she feel so much loathing toward him that the very idea of them being friends is terrifying?!

 _"I just don't get it,"_  said Speedy to Aqualad and Bee shortly after Leila ran away from the Tower.  _"We're offering Leila everything. In return, she would be helping us with Black Shadow. Leila is a part of the team now, and we need her here! Why would she run from us?"_

 _"I'm not sure why she left, Speedy, and I really don't think we're going to find out,"_  Bee replied with a frown.  _"When you say that Leila is a part of the team now, you're right, and I do think that we need her. It doesn't matter how we feel about her, though, because Leila's gone."_

Aqualad also answered with a frown.  _"As much as you don't like to admit it, she isn't coming back, either. If Leila isn't willing to stay, then we can't say that we need her, and we can't say that she's on our team. We've managed without a sixth member until now, and we can keep managing."_  Pausing, the aquatic Titan added firmly,  _"Speedy, you need to forget about her; for all of us."_

"I know, guys, and you're right," Speedy says aloud as he continues working at the metal sphere. "It's not an easy thing to forget Leila, though. Not once you've met her."

Speedy doesn't know how, but those final words are all it takes for him to shove the fire user aside so he can keep working. Carefully using the pliers, he pulls a red wire away from the thick metal sphere, and then a green one. Once the two wires are removed, he uses the tip of the screwdriver to remove one of the bolts that holds the robots intriguing power source together. After removing that bolt he removes two more, the sphere becoming slightly less sturdy. By now he doesn't even need the screwdriver. All he needs is his small pair of pliers out of the kitchen drawer to help take it apart.

Unmasked eyes lighting up, Speedy smiles proudly. "Not bad for a guy with a few tools. In one more hour, I bet I can have Black Shadow's system with these robots figured out."

Stretching his arms over his head, the archer leaves his fingerless gloves on the metal table beside his mask and exits the room. The moment he steps into the hallway, Speedy gapes at his surroundings and blinks several times. He never noticed how different the lighting in this hallway is without his mask. It isn't that he never takes the mask off. He just does it very rarely. Bumblebee, Aqualad, and Mas y Menos have all seen him without it, but even so, it isn't a common sight. The very first time he removed it in front of them, they stared for ten minutes straight. Sometimes they still do. He has grown used to their reactions by now, though.

Sauntering down the hallway, Speedy stretches his arms once more followed by his back. Hunching over for three straight hours is really something that can make a man sore. Does he really want to keep working on that robot? Not at all. He doesn't mind the work, but staying in that hunching position is a killer!

Stretching yet again and giving a grunt, the archer nears the end of the hallway. At the end is a staircase that leads down into the common room, and ten feet before that is a metal door leading into the evidence room. The evidence room is different from the room that Speedy has been trapped in for days on end. It is large, contains complex systems of computers and scanner, and has enough machinery to create a robot army to fight Black Shadow's. With the amount of worry that exists over this machine, it isn't surprising that Bee and Aqualad decided to take it there to study it.

Looking in the direction of the stairs, Speedy is about to pass the room by to go get the pliers. However, the redhead instead finds himself stopping in front of the closed door of the evidence room. He hasn't spoken with Bee and Aqualad since yesterday, and when he passed them in the hallway this morning, they appeared visibly concerned. These things considered, he should see if they've made progress or if they ran into a dead end. When taking in the amount of time they've been spending on deciphering the machine into account, this archer would place his bet on the latter.

Taking one last glance at the door's smooth metal, Speedy enters inside. Sure enough, the sight that greets him isn't anything too surprising. At one end of the room, looking over printouts of codes and pieces of the machine that were reverse-engineered, is Bumblebee. Buttons, computer chips, and scraps of metal are spread out across the tabletop in front of her, making it known that she has been at this job for a long while. Meanwhile, Aqualad has the machine under a glowing, red, beam, different images and various codes popping up on the screen of the supercomputer in front of him.

The archer gazes at the scene wearing an intent expression, already able to tell that his two teammates have more questions about the device than answers. Raising a curious red brow that can for once be seen, he saunters deeper into the room prior to speaking.

"How are you guys doing? Have you figured anything out yet?"

Not even realizing that someone new had entered the room, the duo gazes up at him from their perspective areas. When they first see Speedy's face eyes and all, like always, they do a bit of a double-take. Of course, having grown used to seeing his eyes by now, they quickly recover and begin speaking.

"Oh. Hey, Speedy. No, we haven't learned anything much," admits Bumblebee as she lowers the stack of printouts. "I don't know what the heck this thing is supposed to do, or where he got the parts for it, but Black Shadow's machine is complicated."

Looking away from the screen of the supercomputer, it is Aqualad who speaks next. "According to the scans that have been completed, the metal that makes up the machine's central core is rare. It's harder to get ahold of than kryptonite or xenothium! The thought that Black Shadow would just hand this over to us and claim to have more of these machines at his main hideout is just…crazy!"

Curiosity growing, Speedy looks at them in perplexity as he replies. "The element that makes up the power core is rarer than xenothium? That's strange. I haven't noticed anything like that with the robots. Besides the power source in their chest cavities, everything about them is standard." Pausing, he asks, "Do you have any idea what it's supposed to do?"

"Not right now we don't. The parts it has, the way they're connected, the chips and the power core, none of it is making any sense," says Bumblebee sounding defeated. Then she adds, "That's why we need Sparky here. None of us are amateurs, but his technological knowledge completely tops ours. If anyone can figure this out, it's him."

A long moment of silence passes after this, Speedy not knowing what to say or how to react. A crazy shadow man attacked them, declared war, and gave them a piece of indecipherable technology. How is a person supposed to reply to that?

It takes a moment, but eventually Aqualad ends the silence. "How is it going with the robots? You said something about the power source located in their chest cavities?"

Shifting his gaze over to the aquatic Titan, Speedy gives a nod. "Yeah. I looked at five robots before the one I'm on now, and their power sources were completely disintegrated by Leila's lightning. It took a while, but I finally found one that was intact. I was just on my way to the kitchen to grab some pliers so I can finish taking it apart."

Their eyes wide, they stare at the archer in slight surprise.

"Her lightning actually turned the power sources of several hundred robots to ashes? She may be stubborn and bit moody, but there's no doubt that Leila is powerful," states Aqualad in what almost looks like disappointment.

"I really wish that we hadn't lost her," Bumblebee confesses sadly. "Leila really would've made a great Titan. She was already starting to feel like a member of the team."

This just so happens to be one of those times when Speedy wishes that his mask was on. If his eyes weren't currently visible, then his friends wouldn't be able to see the immense disappointment reflected in his brightly-colored orbs. To Speedy, one of his greatest weaknesses are his eyes. They're like windows into his soul; all of his emotions are seen in his eyes. Not to mention that he isn't too fond of the color he was stuck with, either...

Noticing his change in demeanor, his two teammates look over at him in concern. Of course, when one of them says something to the archer in attempt to comfort him, it isn't the fish boy. Rather, it is the dark-skinned girl with the wings. Concern showing in her deep, brown, irises, she flies over to him and rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Roy, are you okay? Do you want to talk? Maybe all five of us could take a break, and we could go out for pizza."

Facing the floor so that neither she nor Aqualad can see his eyes, he gives a response.

"No, don't worry about me, Bee. I'm fine. Don't let me distract you guys." Pausing, he pulls out of her grasp and heads for the exit. "I should get the pliers so I can get back to work."

The winged girl replies while giving a sigh. "Okay. If that's what you want to do, then go ahead. Just remember that we're right here if you need us."

Speedy doesn't respond. He simply continues in the direction of the door. Right when he is about to leave the room, however, something happens to surprise him. For once, Aqualad says something in this situation in place of Bee. It isn't much, but it is just enough to raise his spirits.

"Actually, Speedy, do you think you could head over to the hardware store? A lot of our tools have been going missing, and they need to get replaced. I would send Mas and Menos, but every time I send them, they come back with something completely different than what I asked them for."

Turning around just enough to give the aquatic Titan a glance, he replies with a small smile. "Sure. I don't mind running this one errand. I actually wanted to replace some of our drills, anyway."

Catching the meaning behind Aqualad's request, Bumblebee too gives a smile at the suggestion.

"That's a good idea. Why don't you get out of the Tower for a while? Getting out of that tiny room and away from those robots might do you some good." Pausing, she adds, "And remember to put your mask back on, okay? We don't want the whole world knowing the secret identity that is Roy Harper."

Shaking his head halfheartedly, he too gives a chuckle. "Whatever, Bee. Even when I do go out in public without my mask, you know that I would never be stupid enough to let anyone find out that I'm Speedy. When I dress like a civilian, nobody ever looks at me twice."

Once this is said, Speedy gives his final goodbyes before leaving the evidence room completely. In spite of what Bumblebee suggested, he doesn't go back for his mask. Instead he changes his clothes entirely and trades his Titan communicator in for his smartphone. After this he heads down to the garage and drives away from the Tower. Not as Speedy, but as an everyday person.

* * *

Every other sixteen-year-old in Steel City gets Saturdays off, but not Damiana. On Saturdays, like every other day of the week, she walks dogs in the morning, cleans houses in the afternoon, and spends the rest of the day babysitting. The only exception to this rule would be Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. On these days she sings at Lola's Café from nine until eleven thirty, and if she has to take Rick or Marissa's shift, she sometimes has to make it to the café far earlier than nine.

Tonight, however, Damiana doesn't have to be at the café until nine o'clock. Considering how she is already at her third client's house and it's only twelve-thirty, the girl is very thankful that she doesn't have to get to the café early tonight. Not only that, but her shift for this woman lasts until three o'clock, and her next shift runs from three-thirty until five-thirty. Once this is finished, she is free until her shift at the café. As strange as it sounds, this is actually one of Damiana's slower days.

Of course, even if her days are filled with labor, this doesn't necessarily mean that she hates all of her jobs. It is true that some of her employers are cruel, force her to do extra work, underpay her, and call her names such as "street filth", but this isn't always the case. They come far and few between, but there are some people who are truly kind to her. This woman, the one who's house she is at currently, is one of these rare people.

This house is a rather large one, being located in the section of the city where the sky scrapers turn to smaller buildings, and the smaller buildings to houses. The houses in this part of the city aren't rundown with overgrown lawns and rickety wooden porches, but are truly beautiful. The lawns are lush and green, the siding is clean and without cracks, and everything is freshly painted. There isn't any litter, shattered windows, or broken chain-link fences with barking dogs behind them. Put simply, this is a very quiet and picturesque neighborhood.

The house she cleans is only one of many perfect houses. It is a large, three-level, home with a main floor, a second floor, and an attic. On the outside, the house is a lovely shade of robin's egg blue, with flawlessly white shutters, and a white picket fence. The lawn, like the others, is perfectly green and freshly cut. Decorating the lawn are newly-budding rose bushes that are placed beneath the windows, and patches of soil around the trees containing red mulch and purple tulips. There is also a stone birdbath, which robins and cardinals are enjoying immensely.

As Damiana cleans the massive picture window on the main level with Windex, she views the birds and the flowers with a smile. The birds on Earth are much smaller than they were on Dabnod, and she is still convinced that the flowers are oddly shaped. Nonetheless, the sight is still a pretty one. Honestly, Damiana kind of likes the smaller birds. As a child she was always afraid that the large, winged, creatures would snatch her up. Now that she thinks about it, it was a common fear among children…

Her mind begins drifting toward thoughts of her home planet, but it doesn't have time to drift very far. She finishes cleaning the picture window, takes her Windex and paper towel, and is ready to move on to the next window. Before the girl has a chance to start on it, however, a voice comes from behind her. It is an aged voice that is filled with kindness.

"Ah, you were looking at those birds. Weren't you, Leila? They sure do like that birdbath."

Turning around, Damiana sees the face of her most favored client, Mrs. Tucker. With short white hair forming a ball-shape around her head, wrinkles on her hands as well as around her eyes and mouth, and with how she walks using a wooden cane, the woman is far from young. Nonetheless, she also wears ruby red lipstick, a lilac-colored button-up-the-front sweater, a long floral print skirt, and a string of pearls around her neck. If there's one thing to admire about Mrs. Tucker, it's that she always dresses her best no matter how much she ages.

Hearing her comment, the girl replies while smiling. "Yes. They do seem to like the birdbath. I have to admit that they look very happy."

Crossing the wide expanse of the living room, the elderly lady joins her in front of the picture window. A moment later, she speaks again.

"I would like to put out some nice bird houses for them this year. It would give them a safe place to build their nests so the neighbor's nasty old cat doesn't get to them." After a moment of hesitation, she continues. "I already have some bird houses out in my shed, but the paint is chipping, and they're falling apart. I would need a hammer, some nails, and some of that nice paint from the hardware store to even think about putting them out there."

Absentmindedly placing her cleaning supplies on one of the end tables, the girl responds cheerfully. "Fixing up bird houses? That would be a nice project now that you've finished remodeling the upstairs bedroom. I've noticed that you like to keep busy."

Mrs. Tucker gives a hearty laugh as she replies. "You're right about that. I may be old, but I'm not ready for the rocking chair quite yet." Giving another laugh, she adds, "My second husband, Tom, always said that I would live a long life because I move too fast for the grim reaper to catch me."

Damiana can't help but laugh at this statement. Tom must have known what he was talking about. Honestly, there are days when Damiana wonders if she really needs that cane, or if it's just for show. Mrs. Tucker can actually move better than some people who are ten years younger than her.

Meanwhile, the girl responds. "We'll have to go through your photo albums again sometime. It sounds like Tom was an interesting man. And the rest of your family, for that matter."

Patting her on the back, Mrs. Tucker gives a smile. "You're right about that. Family life has never been boring, that's for certain." Pausing slightly, she adds, "I actually have a spot in my newest album for you. As much as you've helped out this past year, you've been accepted into the family as one of my granddaughters. When I redid the upstairs bedroom, I had you in mind when I was doing that, too."

The first time Damiana heard her say this, she gaped at Mrs. Tucker in surprise. Of course, considering how the woman tells her this at least once a week nowadays, the girl is more than used to it. Her smile never fading, Damiana gives a response.

"Thanks, Mrs. Tucker. It makes me happy knowing that you're looking out for me. If I ever hit a desperate spot, you'll definitely be the first person I turn to." A second later, she adds, "But…"

Giving a knowing smile, the elderly lady finishes in her place. "But you still won't move in here so I can give you a stable home and get you enrolled in school." Chuckling softly, she continues. "Believe me, Leila. Your stubbornness and endurance are going to wear thin at some point. I know, because I was exactly like you in my younger years. You're more like me than most of biological grandchildren. One of these days you're going to accept help from someone, even if it isn't me."

Shrugging, Damiana turns her gaze back to the picture window and away from Mrs. Tucker. "Maybe someday, but not today. I really do appreciate it that you care, Mrs. Tucker, but I can make it on my own. I've survived this long, so I'll just have to keep pushing onward."

She doesn't see it, but the elderly lady has a certain knowing sparkle in her eyes as she speaks. "You know, Leila, that's exactly what I told my Aunt Elizabeth when I was seventeen years old and raising my younger sister. One week later, do you know what happened?"

Not knowing the answer to this one, Damiana faces her. "Actually, no. What did happen?"

The woman answers with just one sentence. "I met my wonderful first husband, Andy, who helped save me from my situation."

Damiana doesn't know how to respond to the statement. Admittedly, she knew about Andy and about how Mrs. Tucker had to raise her sister. Though, she never knew that her first husband was actually the person who helped rescue her from poverty. Later when she's done cleaning, she will have to ask to hear that story.

A few seconds later, however, it is learned that she won't get a chance to finish the cleaning today. Moving away from the picture window, Mrs. Tucker saunters over to the coffee table and picks up her small, white purse. Also on the coffee table are her car keys, which she too picks up. Knowing where this is going, Damiana moves away from the picture window as well.

"You know what? It's a nice Saturday. You shouldn't be stuck here cleaning, should you, Leila? Why don't we get some supplies from the hardware store, and get started on those bird houses?"

Damiana can't stop herself from nodding eagerly. She has helped Mrs. Tucker with many of her projects, and actually enjoys them quite a lot. Sitting outside painting bird houses really does sound enjoyable.

Her voice just as eager as her nodding head, Damiana replies without hesitation. "Sure. Why don't we? I still have a lot of time until I have to be at my next job." Snickering, she adds, "As long as Matilda can get us there."

Giving an expression of mock offense, Mrs. Tucker whacks at her with her purse in a playful manner. "Leila, are you laughing at Matilda? After all her years of service?"

Snickers turning into loud giggles, Damiana nods. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Tucker, but I really don't think that she's going to make it much longer."

Throwing her car keys in the air and catching them, Mrs. Tucker smirks. "Matilda has gotten us back and forth before, and she'll do it again." Walking toward the garage, the woman motions for her to follow. "Now let's go."

* * *

Jump City: Titans West Tower

_Meanwhile…_

After learning that he truly is at Titans Tower to stay until Cyborg gets back, Saeran made a quick trip back to his apartment. His goal wasn't to stay long. He simply needed to grab a few things such as extra uniforms, deodorant, his toothbrush, his alarm clock, and of course, Mr. Whiskers. The young hero has no idea how this happened, but he accidentally left his cat alone for three days without any food or water.

So in the end not only did he spend twenty minutes gathering up his belongings, but took two hours to feed Mr. Whiskers and shove him into his carrier. Then he had to stop by the pet store to buy cat litter, canned cat food, and dry cat food, which took another forty-five minutes. It would have taken less time, but they were completely out of Mr. Whiskers' favorite brand of Nine Lives pate, and he needed to figure out what else to get him.

So now, after errands as well as endless apologies to his four-legged friend, Saeran has finally returned to Titans Tower. Pet carrier in one hand and bags in the other, he enters the common room while giving yet another apology to Mr. Whiskers.

Holding the carrier so that it's close to his face, he says, "Please forgive me, Mr. Whiskers. I forgot about you this one time, but it will never happen again. From now on I will always make sure to fill up your dish and clean your litter box before leaving the house."

Mr. Whiskers responds with a loud  ** _"Meow!"_** , as if very angry with his master. Not only this, but the cat's blue eyes are narrowed from its dark place inside the pet carrier.

"Hey, don't give me that look! I mean it!" exclaims Saeran. "I truly am very sorry."

Once this is said, Saeran is ready to announce his return to the Titans before heading to his room to put his things away and to let Mr. Whiskers out of his tiny prison. However, the moment he looks at the three heroes, he learns that this isn't a good time. Raven, Robin, and Starfire are standing in front of the large screen, Cyborg's image being seen from the inside of the T-car. Based on the panic ringing through their voices, everyone is still trying to solve the same problem that has existed for the past three days.

"I mean it, Cyborg! We still can't find Beast Boy!" shouts Robin.

"We haven't seen him since you left," Raven puts in sounding concerned.

Tears in her eyes, Starfire adds, "We are afraid that friend Beast Boy has met with some horrible fate!"

Human eye widening, Cyborg replies sounding equally panicked. "You still haven't seen BB? Man, ever since I left Jump City, everything's been going wrong! I'm starting to think that Black Shadow put some kind of curse on us!"

Mouthing opening slightly in surprise, Robin asks, "Your trip to Steel City hasn't been going well? What exactly has been happening?"

Taking one of his hands off of the steering wheel, Cyborg begins counting down the problems using his fingers. "Well, first I checked the trunk of the T-car, and half the food I brought with me is missing! Then this morning I got online and check my bank account, and it ends out that the motels I've been staying at are screwing up; for the past two nights, my account has been getting charged for _two_ rooms! Finally, I just checked the glove compartment where I keep my CDs, and two of them are missing! It's like they just disappeared!"

All of the sudden, the panic in the room vanishes completely. Somehow everything the metal man just said answered the three Titans' and Saeran's biggest question. Smirking, Saeran holds the pet carrier closer to his face and whispers to the cat.

"It looks like it's going to be very quiet around her, Mr. Whiskers. Don't worry about there being too much noise."

Meanwhile, Robins speaks again. Slapping a gloved palm to his forehead in exasperation, the Boy Wonder sighs.

"Cyborg, out of curiosity, have you done a scan of the T-car recently? A _thorough_  scan?"

Confusion showing in his single hazel eye, he answers bluntly. "Yeah, I did. The day before I left Jump City. Everything was fine with the T-car." Hesitating slightly, he asks, "Why?"

Robin gives another sigh. "Just scan it again. Trust me."

The man's confusion doesn't leave. "Okay. I will as soon as I get to Steel City. With everything that's been happening, I'm late getting there."

An odd sound to his voice, he replies, "Contact us once you get there, and let us know if you find anything, okay?"

"Alright. I'll be contacting you in a few hours, then. Cy out."

Once that is said, the screen goes blank and again becomes one of the windows. The entire room is silent. Not even Mr. Whiskers makes a sound. At last, when somebody does speak, it is none other than Raven.

"Now that we have the opportunity, who wants to destroy Mega Monkeys, and get rid of all the leftover tofu in the fridge?"

* * *

_Back in Steel City…_

There is nothing Speedy enjoys more than being out and about as Roy Harper. Civilians don't stare, there are no fangirls trying to get close to him, and there aren't any reporters asking him about the most recent crime that was stopped. When Speedy is Roy Harper, nobody looks at him twice. Even when he does interact with people, such as a store employee, a cashier, or the person in line behind him, they never have the slightest suspicion that he is actually one of the heroes that works to protect their city. To Speedy, there is nothing better than getting to feel normal.

He currently walks through a well-known location in Steel City, that is known as  _"Steel City Hardware"_. It is a rather large store that contains everything from tools, to paint, to lumber, and back again. It's very true that there are places such as Walmart that sell many of the same products that Steel City Hardware provides, but the products here are always better quality. Not to mention that the hardware store is farther away from the Tower, and Speedy appreciates the long drive. He doesn't know why, but driving is one of those things that he simply enjoys doing.

Another thing he enjoys doing is tormenting innocent salespeople. He knows that he will most likely feel guilty over this later, but it's worth it for the moment.

"Are you sure you don't have any Bobby wrenches? I heard from your coworker, Joe, that you just got in an entire shipment!"

The salesperson, a nervous-looking young man with shaggy black hair, responds to Speedy's question uncertainly. The guy can't be any older than twenty, and considering how he has never seen him working here until now, Speedy would stake his life on it that he's new.

Clearing his throat, the man speaks with a shaking voice. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't remember seeing any Bobby wrenches. We have Allen wrenches if you would be okay using one of those. To be honest, I've never even heard of Bobby wrenches."

Speedy has to force himself to hold back fits of chuckles. In truth, he has never heard of Bobby wrenches before either. Not until he made them up thirty seconds ago. Doing his best to keep himself under control, Speedy glances at his nametag which reads  _"Will"_. Putting on a surprised expression, he does his best to sound like he is in shock.

"Never heard of Bobby wrenches? Where have you been? They made number seven on the list of North America's handiest tools! My roommate told me about how great they are, and now I just _have_ to have one!" Pausing momentarily, he asks, "Will is your name, right?"

Looking down at his nametag and then back at Speedy, he nods. "Yes, sir. That is my name."

He gives a nod of his own at Will's words of confirmation. "Good. Now listen, Will. If you can find me a Bobby wrench, I will come back to Steel City Hardware every time I need a tool. I will be Steel City Hardware's best customer!"

A smile crossing the young man's face, he gives a firm nod. "Of course, sir! I will find you a Bobby wrench right away!" With that, the young man takes off down the hallway like a bolt. Once he turns the corner, he shouts happily. "Yes! A lifetime customer! I'll make employee of the month!"

Only after he's gone does Speedy start chuckling. Does he feel bad? Absolutely. It probably won't take more than ten minutes for the guy to figure out that Bobby wrenches don't exist, though. He has pulled this fake tool trick with more than one employee at this store, so Will is bound to figure out that he has been deceived through the grapevine.

Chuckles turning into open laughter, Speedy wipes a tear from his eye before taking his cart and pushing it down another aisle. Having had his fun for this shopping trip, he digs a list out from the pocket of his navy blue jeans and continues shopping. His cart already contains half of the items on the list such as blow torches, drills, a nail gun, and an extra wire cutter. Now all he needs are a set of smaller screwdrivers, pliers, and surprisingly, paint the color of lemon yellow. Apparently Bumblebee wants to redo her bedroom so that her walls are lemon yellow instead of sunshine yellow.

Arching a skeptical brow, he wonders if there is really a difference between the two colors before going on a hunt for the aisle that contains the screwdrivers. With as much as he's in here, he really should have the layout of the store memorized. Then again, with as much as they move things around, memorizing the aisles that items can be found in is nearly impossible. It is because of this that Speedy finds himself wandering aimlessly, hoping that he will eventually run across the correct aisle.

* * *

"What  ** _kind_**  of hammer? What do you mean by that?"

Damiana stands side-by-side with Mrs. Tucker in an aisle at  _"Steel City Hardware"_. The aisle they're standing in contains screws, nails, nuts and bolts, screwdrivers, and of course, hammers. When they came in here, their initial goal was to grab a hammer, some nails, some paint, and to get out of here in less than twenty minutes. Of course, as luck would have it, this isn't going to happen.

Being an old lady and a teenage girl inside of a place filled with tools, the two of them must appear very lost, because from the moment they walked in, the same salesperson has been at their side. No matter how much they tell him that they don't need help, he is very insistent that they  _do_ need help. Even now, after Damiana told him that they're just looking for a hammer, he still won't leave. Instead, he is going into a lengthy and complicated dialogue of the different types of hammers.

"Oh, it is very simple, Miss," says the pudgy thirty-something-year-old man. "There are many kinds of hammers you can choose from. Steel City Hardware alone has over twenty-three varieties! We have the dead-blow hammer, which hits with force. Then we have the tack hammer, which is used for nailing horseshoes into the hooves of horses. And then there is our incredibly popular railroad-spike maul hammer, which is used on railroad spikes."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Damiana eyes the man skeptically. "Right. Because every person in town needs to have their railroad spike hammer handy."

Mrs. Tucker gives a small chortle from beside her, but apparently the man doesn't notice. Neither is he able to detect sarcasm. A large, happy, grin on his face, he continues.

"Exactly! I'm glad that someone finally understands! You should also know about our blacksmith's sledge hammer! Those are also very popular!"

Smacking the palm of her hand to her forehead, Damiana gives a sigh of aggravation. The salesman doesn't notice this either, because he continues chattering away about all twenty-three brands of hammers with enthusiasm. At this point, the girl is practically ready to yank her hair out in frustration. Based on Mrs. Tucker's unusually stiff stance, she is growing annoyed at their situation as well. The twenty minutes in which they wanted to get out of here have already passed.

Damiana doesn't notice, but she and Mrs. Tucker aren't the only two in the aisle listening to the salesperson anymore. At the aisle's other end, nonchalantly looking over the screwdrivers, is a young man. He has short red hair, is medium height, and is quite muscular for an adolescent. For clothes he wears loose-fitting jeans the color of navy blue, a forest green t-shirt, and a watch on his left wrist. A smartphone can be seen peeking out from one of his side pockets, and a wallet from a back pocket.

Over all, he is a very ordinary young man. The only thing that makes him stick out is that, rather than looking at the screwdrivers, he continuously glances at the aisle's other end wearing an expression of immense surprise. More than anything, this expression is aimed at Damiana. If the girl wasn't so busy sending irritated glances at the chattering salesman, then maybe she would notice the young man.

"… but the best hammer we have available is our body mechanic's hammer! It isn't very popular, but it has several uses. One of them being removing dents from car panels!"

Nodding, Damiana continues staring the salesman down in irritation as she speaks. "Wow. Those are a lot of hammers. I bet we could find a use for each and every one of them."

The man grins widely. "That's right!"

At last, for the first time since beginning this shopping trip, Mrs. Tucker speaks up. "But as helpful as they sound, we don't need those hammers. Miss Leila and I were just going to put together some birdhouses for my yard."

Neither of them saw it coming, but somehow the word "birdhouses" triggered something else from the salesperson entirely. It nearly causes Damiana to scream with aggravation.

"Birdhouses? Oh, you'll need more than just hammers to make birdhouses! You'll need saws, and nails, and paint, and primer, and sand paper…"

At the rate the man is going at, it already feels like they're going to be here for another two hours. Exchanging glances with Mrs. Tucker, the fact that they are both growing exhausted by the salesman isn't something that is well hidden. It is because of this that, despite the fact that it goes against Damiana's conscience, the girl decides to take extreme measures.

Taking in a deep, calming, breath, the girl pastes on a smile before speaking to the man. She knows that she is going to feel bad about it later, but it's worth it for the moment.

"Hold on a minute! I don't mean to interrupt you, sir, but did you just say sandpaper?"

Eyes lighting up, the man looks at her with hopeful eyes. "Yes, Miss, I did. Were you interested in purchasing some?"

Keeping her smile in place, Damiana nods with false enthusiasm. "Absolutely! We want these bird houses to turn out good! Steel City's robins deserve only the best!"

By now the boy at the other end of the aisle isn't glancing, but is full on staring. Not only that, but mingled amongst intense surprise is what appears to be amusement. Meanwhile, she continues.

"But before you ask, we don't want just any sandpaper. I was watching TV the other day, and this fantastic sandpaper from Scandinavia was advertised! It's only the best of the best, and absolutely  _everybody_ wants it! The commercial said that Steel City Hardware finally received a shipment!"

The salesman's smile fades slightly, the man appearing confused. "Scandinavian sandpaper? Are you sure about that, Miss? I haven't even heard of it."

Giving a gasp of shock, Damiana does her best to appear surprised. "Never heard of it? Where have you been? It made the cover of that magazine,  _'Home Improvement Monthly'_! You have to have it! Steel City Hardware only offers quality products, after all."

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, the man chuckles in embarrassment. "Oh, right…  _That_  sandpaper… I think I've heard of it… Don't you ladies move! I'll be right back with some!"

With that being said the guy takes off down the aisle, causing the two women to sigh in relief. It's only after he's gone that Mrs. Tucker looks at Damiana with a raised brow and a smirk.

"Scandinavian sandpaper, huh? I don't think I've seen that commercial."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Damiana gives a laugh as she responds. "You should know me better than that by now, Mrs. Tucker. Both of us know that I made it up. We had to get rid of him somehow."

She still doesn't notice, but the teenage boy at the other end of the aisle is starting to burst into fits of chuckles. Meanwhile, Mrs. Tucker laughs as well.

"Is this the first time you've sent a salesperson on a wild goose chase, or do you do this a lot?"

Smirking, Damiana shrugs. "I know it sounds bad, but I do it more often than I should. There was a saleslady in Walmart the other day that wouldn't leave me alone, and I sent her after a rare subterranean grapefruit from Argentina. She never came back to bother me, either."

A few seconds later, the boy at the other end of the aisle finally comes to Damiana's and Mrs. Tucker's attention. It isn't because he says anything to them or because they noticed his staring, but because they hear loud bouts of laughter coming from his direction. When they turn to look at him, he is seen leaning against a rack of screwdrivers holding his gut from laughter. For a moment the two women just stare, but then Damiana gets an aggravated expression on her face. Running a small hand through false brown curls in irritation, she takes several steps toward him.

Knowing that something is about to happen, something that she doesn't want to get involved with, Mrs. Tucker clears her throat and slowly backs out of the aisle.

"Leila, I'm going to the next aisle over to look at some drills. You can come over and find me when you're ready."

Damiana hears her, but she doesn't say anything. Instead she continues moving closer to the redheaded teen. At this point he still hasn't refrained from laughing. It is because of this that she rolls her eyes and scowls before speaking to him sternly.

"Excuse me, but is there something you're laughing at? Because whatever it is, I don't think it's very funny. Move on, and go laugh at somebody else. I didn't come in here to get mocked."

She has moved so far up the aisle that she is now only five feet away from the boy. Upon looking at him, her scowl fades slightly. Not for lack of irritation, but because the moment she speaks, his laughter ends. Once he is no longer laughing he straightens his posture, pushes himself away from the rack of screwdrivers he was braced against, and faces her directly. The moment their eyes meet, Damiana's scowl vanishes completely. She can't quite place this guy, but he looks familiar.

His medium height, his muscular build, the short red hair that is perfectly combed, the arrogant smirk he wears that makes her want to slap him, all of it is familiar. The only thing about this guy that isn't familiar to Damiana are his eyes. Nonetheless, even if they aren't familiar, it doesn't mean that she doesn't observe them. In fact, the boy's eyes are probably the feature that she observes the most.

The instant their eyes lock, Damiana finds herself entranced by a beautiful shade of green. They aren't just any shade of green, but are the color of shining emeralds. Mixed in with the emerald color are streaks of forest green, along with the occasional fleck of brown. Framing his eyes are thick lashes that are red like his hair, but at the same time, also contain small hints of blonde. Despite the fact that this guy was just laughing at her, and the fact that he seems familiar, Damiana finds herself unable to speak for a long moment. Never has she looked into a pair of eyes that are so… _mesmerizing_.

The only thing that brings Damiana out of her hypnotic trance is the sound of the guy's voice. He no longer sounds amused, but instead sounds apologetic, and…a bit nervous…

"Oh…uh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just saw what you did there, and I thought it was funny. I wasn't laughing at you; just at what you did. In all my life, I never thought that I would catch  _you_  sending store employees after some made up product!" A second after the words leave, his emerald eyes fill to the brim with fear and realization. "N-not that we've met before! I've never met you before in my life! You're a stranger! We're both strangers here!"

By now Damiana is no longer aggravated with him. Instead she stares at him in a mixture of shock and disbelief. She couldn't place him a moment ago, most likely due to the change of clothes and his lack of a mask, but all it took for her to overcome these obstacles was the sound of his voice. It doesn't matter where she hears it, or what he looks like when he's using it. After everything that has happened recently, the sound of his voice is encoded into her memory. She didn't think that she would hear it again this soon, or under these kind of circumstances, but she  _knows_ his voice.

Her own emerald eyes widening, emerald eyes that aren't nearly as lovely or intense as Speedy's, Damiana gapes at him. Head tilted slightly to the side, she gets a step closer while observing his features more intently. Now that she pays his features more attention, she has absolutely no doubts.

Locking eyes with him once more, she stammers in shock. "Sp-Speedy?!"

She immediately catches it when the intense array of greens that are his irises fill with anxiety. "Sp-Sp-Speedy?! Are you kidding me?! I could never be Speedy! He's a lot better looking than I am, and he looks better in tights. I'm just an average Joe shopping for tools." Stepping closer to the rack containing the screwdrivers, he removes a random package and tosses them into his shopping cart. "Well, I needed screwdrivers, I got screwdrivers, and now I'm off to another part of the store. Goodbye, stranger. If you ever do run into Speedy, tell him to never leave the Tower without wearing his mask."

Speedy doesn't say or do anything more after this. Damiana knows that he is Speedy, and Speedy is fully aware that Damiana knows this, but neither one of them acknowledges it outwardly. Taking his cart, he turns out of the aisle as if he'd never seen her. Damiana doesn't go after him, either. Yet, as strange as it is, she almost wishes that she had gone after him.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

It has been a long, hard, few days for Cyborg since leaving Jump City, but lucky for him, he is only a few short hours away from his destination. At this point, the metal man honestly can't wait to make it to Steel City. He won't have to worry about people at motels charging him double, he won't have to worry about hobos breaking into his trunk and stealing his food, and he won't have to worry about randomly losing his CDs. Whatever this stroke of bad luck is, it will be over once he reaches the Titans East Tower. Life will be good once again!

Even so, Cyborg isn't too concerned with his random bout of bad luck at the moment. Instead, in order to regain his sanity after these nerve-wracking few days, Cyborg has one of his favorite CDs playing. He did have two other CDs that he liked more than this one, but those two disappeared.

Nonetheless, he still likes this one. He would never admit it to any of the other Titans, but the music he listens to while he's alone in the T-car is one of his guilty pleasures. He could sing along with these songs all day and all night! Not only that, but since he has been alone in the T-car for almost four days straight, he  _has_ been singing along with it.

Bobbing his head to the tune of the music, Cyborg sings to the top of his lungs with gusto.

"Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns!

"Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?

"You're the saddest bunch I ever met, but you can bet before we're through,

"Mister, I'll make a man out of you!"

Cyborg sings the next few lines in a normal tone, so he isn't too loud. Once he gets to the chorus, however, this changes immensely. He is so loud that it wouldn't be surprising if he could be heard up and down the freeway.

"We must be swift as the coursing river! With all the force of a great typhoon! With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!"

So distracted is Cyborg with the song, as well as keeping his eyes on the road, that he doesn't notice the little, green, beetle that crawls from the floor of the backseats to the floor of the passenger seat. The only time it comes to his attention is when loud shouting comes from the seat beside him.

"Ahh! I can't take it anymore! I have been listening to you sing Disney songs like you're part of a middle school choir for the past four days! Aladdin and The Lion King were bad enough, but now Mulan?! Gah! "

A green hand wearing a glove shoots toward the CD player, rapidly removing the disk and tossing it out of the T-car's open passenger side window. So surprised is Cyborg by this occurrence that the T-car nearly careens out of control. He gets it back under control, but when he does, he heads for the freeways nearest exit ramp and forces the T-car to a halt. Only after the car is stopped does Cyborg allow himself to freak out.

Beast Boy, who was previously spread out in the passenger seat in a relaxed fashion due to silence from Cyborg's Disney medley, pulls his legs to his chest at the sight of his enraged metal friend.

"BB?! What the heck are you doing here?! Your green butt is supposed to be back in Jump City!"

Giving an awkward chuckle, Beast Boy begins explaining. "I know that, but Frostbite's there! I figured that if he's back at the Tower, why can't I come with you?"

Flailing his arms, he responds, "Because Robin said you're supposed to stay there! You weren't supposed to come with me! I'm going to Steel City to help decipher Black Shadow's crazy technology, not to party with the Titans East!"

Looking a tad less afraid than before, Beast Boy replies easily. "Yeah, but since we're already most of the way to Steel City, does it matter? What can Robin do about it now? Since I'm with you, I'm not stuck at the Tower with Frostbite and Raven! And who knows? Even if I'm no good with technology, maybe I can help out with this Leila girl. The Titans East might need help on-boarding her. Or better yet, maybe I can help them plan her initiation!"

Giving a sigh, Cyborg scratches his head doubtfully. Nonetheless, he reluctantly agrees.

"Alright, BB, but I'm not the one explaining this to Robin and the Titans East once we get to Steel City. You stowed away in the T-car, so you're taking the heat for it. Understand?"

Nodding happily, Beast Boy replies with a compliant salute. "Yes, sir! Onward to Steel City?"

Smiling, Cyborg turns around and takes the on ramp back to the freeway. "Onward to Steel City!"

* * *

_Back in Steel City…_

"That was a good-looking young man you were talking to in there, Leila. Does he have a name?"

Damiana sits in the passenger seat of a car that could very possibly date all the way back to the 1970's. It hasn't left the parking lot of the hardware store yet. Instead, Damiana and Mrs. Tucker are sitting in the car people-watching, each of them enjoying a chocolate bar that they got when they went to the checkout counter. The last time she ate chocolate of any kind was over ten months ago, so Damiana does her best to enjoy it. Of course, with the conversation they are currently having, the girl barely tastes the sweetness of the candy. Instead, all of her thoughts are on Speedy, and on the way he looked at her with his deep, green, eyes.

She honestly can't decide if the fates are with her or against her. For the past two days her mind has been in endless torment over the Titans, and then this morning she finally found the courage to get over them. Now, right when she finally thinks she can move on, she runs into Speedy in the hardware store. Not just any Speedy, though. She runs into nervous, maskless, civilian, Speedy; the Speedy that is afraid of being recognized without his arrows and his costume. It's not like she can tell Mrs. Tucker who he is, though. This sounds strange even to Damiana, but she would never sell out that civilian as Speedy.

Giving a sigh, Damiana responds to the elderly woman at last. "I've met him before, but I don't know his real name. I only know him by a nickname that he likes to be called." Pausing slightly, she adds, "I try not to think about him too much, though. We barely know each other. I just met him a week ago."

Mrs. Tucker arches her brow in curiosity. "Only a week ago? That's odd. For some reason I was under the impression that you've known each other longer. There seems to be some history between you two."

Her eyes filling with surprise, Damiana looks at her. "What do you mean by that? It's like I said. We've barely known each other a week."

Patting her on the shoulder in a grandmotherly fashion, the elderly lady smiles. "In some cases, Leila, how long you've known each other for doesn't matter. A lot can happen in a week."

Returning her smile, Damiana agrees with her statement. "You can say that again. More has happened this week than you can even imagine." After a moment of hesitation, she asks the lady a question. "Mrs. Tucker, just out of curiosity, have you ever ran away from something that you regretted running away from later?"

It is here that Mrs. Tucker's smile turns into a contemplative frown. "Now where did this question come from all of the sudden? You've never asked me a question like this before."

Her miniscule smile staying in place, she gives a vague explanation. "Let's just say that I met that guy in there under some…odd…circumstances. At first I didn't like him, and I wasn't sure about…his friends…either, so I ran away from them. But now a few days have passed, and I'm starting to wish that I hadn't run off. If I had stayed, I wonder how things would have turned out."

Mrs. Tucker gives a nod, taking this information in. "So that young man and his friends offered you friendship, and you ran away from them? Is that it?"

Breathing in deeply, Damiana replies with a nod. Seeing this, Mrs. Tucker continues.

"And you didn't like them at first, but now you're saying you do? Is this also right?"

Damiana nods again. "That's basically the gist of it."

Once this is said, Mrs. Tucker gives her another pat on the shoulder and laughs. Oddly enough, the woman's laugh comforts her.

"Leila, dear, you're worrying about this far too much. If he and his friends honestly care about you, then they'll be back. You probably haven't seen the last of them. Trust me."

The woman's words causes Damiana's miniscule smile to widen. "Knowing how he and his friends can be, you're probably right. Thank you, Mrs. Tucker. I needed that."

Smiling, the woman finishes her chocolate bar and gives yet another smile. "Any time, Leila. You know that I view you as my granddaughter. Any time you need advice, feel free to come to me."

With that being said, the woman shoves the candy wrapper inside of her glove compartment and turns the key in the 1970's vehicle's ignition. Or, as Mrs. Tucker likes to put it,  _"Matilda's ignition"_. Any second now, Damiana and Mrs. Tucker are expecting Matilda's engine to roar to life. This time, however, it doesn't happen. Instead the engine turns over several times, but doesn't once start. When this happens, Mrs. Tucker appears completely and undeniably flabbergasted. Damiana, on the other hand, does not. During the year that she has been working for Mrs. Tucker, she knew that the car would give out at some point. If anything, she's surprised that this hasn't happened sooner.

After approximately ten minutes of the engine turning over but not starting, Mrs. Tucker finally gives up. When she does, she gives a sigh of discontentment.

"Well, phooey. This stinks. It sure is a good thing that I have towing service on my car insurance. It's a good thing that my son got me that cellular phone for Christmas, too." After a moment of hesitation, she asks, "Today is your longer shift, right?"

Damiana nods simply. "Yeah, that's right."

"Good. It looks like we're going to be here for a while."


	12. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Twelve

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, but I do own the Bobby wrench ;)._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Twelve**

Never has Speedy felt so embarrassed. Neither has he ever felt this demeaned or incompetent. He has gone out in public as a civilian before, and what happened all of those previous times? Nothing. Nothing at all. Then, the one time he goes out in public after swearing to Bumblebee and Aqualad that he won't get recognized as Speedy, what happens? Somebody is able to place him. To make it even worse, this  _"somebody"_ wasn't just anybody. As if the universe is against him, the person that recognized him just so happened to be the person that he has been trying to forget about the most.

The moment he saw that familiar head of long, brown, curls, he knew that he should have grabbed the screwdrivers he was looking for and made a run for it. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't. To be honest, he wasn't even sure that it was Leila at first. Running into her out in public, let alone after a mere three days of separation? What are the odds? Of course, after hearing her familiar note of sarcasm when talking to the salesperson, as well as recognizing her ratty jeans and tiny form, there was no doubt about it for the archer. The girl at the other end of the aisle was, in fact, Leila.

Oh, how Speedy wishes that he would have ran once her identity was confirmed! Staring her down like some kind of maniac, watching her send the salesman off on some wild goose chase, and then bursting into laughter at the other end of the aisle? What was he thinking?! Of course she was going to put it together that he's Speedy! A change of clothes and removing his mask would never be enough to trip her up! She is  _Leila_ , after all. If there's one thing he can say for Leila, it's that she's smart. All it took for her to recognize him as Speedy was one look at his facial features, and the sound of his voice.

Giving an aggravated sigh, Speedy scolds himself inside his head.  _"Good job, Roy. Way to go! She has your whole identity now, eyes and all. Congratulations. To screw yourself over even farther, why don't you prank call Batman claiming to be the Joker, and see if he thinks it's funny?"_

Finally making it to the front of the line after ages of waiting, Speedy begins piling the items in his cart onto the counter. He's pretty sure that after "Roy's" run-in with Leila that he grabbed the wrong type of screwdrivers, but he honestly doesn't care. If Aqualad is that upset about it, he can come back here on his own time and exchange them.

Glaring at the screwdrivers and thumping them down on the counter, the archer grumbles under his breath. "If the universe wants to throw anything else my way, so be it. It's not like anything weirder can happen today."

It takes a couple of minutes, but eventually all of his items get scanned and he is given the total price. Really, Speedy doesn't even hear what everything he bought amounts to. Removing his wallet from his back pocket, the redhead takes out his debit card and is ready to pay for however much it costs. There will most likely be enough in his account to cover it, anyway.

Before he has a chance to slide it through the machine, however, that is when something happens. Something that is truly unexpected.

"Sir! Please don't leave yet! I found what you're looking for!"

The voice is so desperate and echoes so loudly that when Speedy hears it, he can't stop himself from turning around to stare. It isn't just him, but everybody in line behind him and in the lines of the surrounding checkout counters stares as well. Upon hearing the voice, Speedy's initial assumption is that the person calling "sir" is calling out to either a middle-aged business man demanding excellent service, or to an elderly man who needs help tracking something down. It is because of this that when Speedy sees the young, shaggy-haired, salesman he was talking to earlier,  _Will_ , his emerald eyes widen to nearly an impossible size.

Will weaves his way past shoppers and around floor displays, sprinting in Speedy's direction wearing an unmatchable grin. In Will's hand is an odd type of tool that, admittedly, he has never seen before in his life. As the eager store employee gets closer, Speedy is able to place it as an oddly-shaped wrench. This causes the unmasked archer's eyes to widen further.

"No way," Speedy whispers to himself in awe. "You have to be kidding me."

Less than three seconds later, Will sprints his way to the front of Speedy's checkout line. For a moment Speedy thinks that he's going to run right past, but when he jumps to a halt approximately three feet in front of him, this assumption is proven wrong. The whole time Speedy doesn't move, neither does he speak. All he can do is stare at Will in disbelief as the man shouts out victoriously.

"I got it for you, sir! It was a bit of a hard find, and I had to do a lot of searching, but I found it! I found the Bobby wrench!"

Not only are Speedy's eyes wide, but his jaw has practically dropped to the ground. Gaping in complete and utter bafflement, he looks from the wrench, to the salesman, and back again. It takes a moment, an incredibly long moment, but eventually Speedy regains the ability to speak. The whole time the archer doesn't even try to hide how shocked he is that Will found what he was looking for.

"That thing you're holding is  ** _actually_**  a Bobby wrench?! You're telling me that you seriously found one of those things?!"

His smile growing wider, Will nods eagerly. "That's right! I found it! Oh, and you were wrong about the list of North America's handiest tools. It actually made it on the list at number four!"

Expression of shock never fading, Speedy gapes at the tool once more before looking up at the salesman and taking it from his grasp. "Well…in that case…thanks a lot? Uh…I never would have found it without you."

As he replies, Will's smile remains intact. "There's no need to thank me, sir. That's what I'm here for." With that, he disappears from the checkout line and scampers off to another part of the store. As he leaves he can be heard shouting. "Yeah! I love the world of customer service!"

There is a long moment of silence after that, Speedy staring after the salesperson in shock. The only thing that breaks him free from his disbelief is an obvious question from the cashier.

"Sir, would you like me to ring that up for you?"

Turning to face the cashier, Speedy gives a nod and passes it over the counter. Only after the item has been scanned and placed in a plastic bag does he ask this question.

"Just out of curiosity, do you know that guy's manager?"

Raising a puzzled brow, the cashier nods. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Put in a good word for that guy," says Speedy simply. "He deserves a raise."

With that being said, the archer takes his bags and heads out into the labyrinth of cars that is the parking lot. He doesn't realize it, but Will showing up with the so-called  _"imaginary item"_ slowed Speedy down just enough to make his day even more interesting.

* * *

After digging through her purse, and then the glove compartment, and then under the seats for her phone, Mrs. Tucker was finally able to contact her insurance company to ask about getting her car towed. Once she'd contacted them, she spent approximately fifteen minutes arguing with the desk lady over the phone about whether the insurance company would cover the whole cost of the tow, or if they would cover the partial cost.

Once Mrs. Tucker reluctantly accepted that they would cover fifty-percent of the costs and that she would have to pay for the rest, the insurance company finally sent the tow truck. The entire process, from finding the phone to getting the tow truck to arrive, took forty-five minutes' total. Once the tow truck arrived, Damiana and Mrs. Tucker assumed that their troubles were over. Sadly for them, however, their assumption was off by a long-shot.

"Call for a ride? What do you mean we're going to have to call for a ride? Mrs. Tucker is already being cheated out of half of her money by you people. You can't just leave a seventy-two-year-old woman in the middle of a parking lot without a way to get home, too!"

The tow truck driver, a grease-covered man with a beard who appears to be in his early fifties, looks over some paperwork attached to a clipboard as he responds. "I'm sorry, Miss, but we're not allowed to give people rides; not to their homes, or to the auto shop. It's company policy."

False green eyes burning with fury, Damiana can no longer refrain from shouting. "Oh, so it's  _'company policy'_  for you to leave an elderly woman stranded in a parking lot without a vehicle?!"

Looking up from his clipboard, the man glares at her. "Listen here, you punk little know-it-all. It isn't my fault if you and your granny, here, don't have a ride. If my company says that I can't give you a ride, then I can't! If I do, then I'll lose my job!"

This time it isn't Damiana that speaks, but Mrs. Tucker. When she speaks, she does so in a much calmer fashion than the Dabnodian.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Miss Leila isn't trying to offend you. She's just concerned about me. The only relative I have living in Steel City anymore is my youngest son, and he's away on business. Without him and without my car, I have no way home."

The bearded tow truck driver rolls his eyes in an aggravated fashion. "Listen, lady. I don't care about your son, and I honestly don't care about how you're going to get home. That's your problem. At the end of the day, all I care about is fixing peoples' cars so I can get my paycheck."

At the conclusion of his agitated speech, he tucks his clipboard under his arm and walks off toward the tow truck. The whole time Damiana gapes at the man in disbelief. Even after spending five years on planet Earth, she still can't believe how cold some humans can be. Then again, there were also many Dabnodians who could be cold, but this is currently beside the point.

Shoving a dyed brown ringlet behind her ear, Damiana shouts after him with a question. "If you can't give us a ride, can you at least lend us a phone book or something so we can call a taxi?!"

Jumping up into the driver's seat, he stares the girl down with cold eyes. "No!"

With that being said, the tow truck man slams the door shut and drives off.

* * *

Speedy pushes the passenger seat of his white Chevrolet forward as he shoves item-filled bags into the backseat. The whole time he has his smartphone out, looking at the time in disbelief. After spending so much time hunting down items, running into Leila, spending ages in the impossibly long checkout line, and going through that strange ordeal with the Bobby wrench, it is somehow going for two-thirty. He knew that shopping might take some time, but he had no idea that it would take him this long! Bumblebee and Aqualad are going to start thinking that he ditched them for the rest of the day!

Tucking his phone into his pocket and shoving the last bag into the backseat, Speedy shoves the seat back into its original position and shuts the door. There is a cart corral not too far away from here. He should get his shopping cart put away so he can get back to his truck and back to the Tower.

This thought in mind, the redhead takes his cart and makes his way across several rows of cars to the cart corral. Knowing that he has to get back to finish examining that robot of Black Shadow's, Speedy has this goal in mind and is determined that nothing is going to keep him from it. There's no doubt that Cyborg is going to be in Steel City soon. Having the information on the robots' power cores will probably be beneficial to him. The less work he has to do, the more Cyborg will be able to focus on cracking the code behind Black Shadow's machine.

As Speedy makes his way across the parking lot, however, he gets distracted from his goal. Somehow the sound of people talking, of engines running, and of car horns doesn't distract him a bit. Yet, there is one sound that is louder than all these other things, and it manages to distract him very easily. It is a familiar sound that, once it is heard, is not easily forgotten. This would be the sound of an angrily shouting fire user.

"Go ahead! Drive away and leave an elderly woman stranded in a parking lot! Greedy capitalist! I hope that the fates punish you!"

The moment he hears the voice, Speedy is instantly able to recognize it as Leila's. Not only that, but if he looks past the cart corral and through the row of cars in front of him, he is able to catch a glimpse of her tattered blue jeans and long, brown, curls. Beside her, he sees the floral-print skirt and wooden cane of the old lady he saw her with earlier. How they know each other and why they hang around together, Speedy isn't sure. All he knows for sure is that he'd heard Leila call the woman " _Mrs. Tucker"_ earlier, so that suggests that she isn't a relative.

Meanwhile, as he haphazardly shoves his shopping cart into the corral along with all of the other empty carts, he hears the voice of the old lady. He has no idea what's going on, but he is instantly able to tell that their situation isn't good. It is because of this that rather than making his way back to his white Chevrolet like a normal person, Speedy weaves in between parked cars and gets closer to the duo.

"Leila, dear, you need to calm down. Getting in a huff over this isn't going to do either of us any good. We need to calm down so that we can figure a way out of this situation."

Peeking out from in between a red Honda and a black Toyota, he sees as Leila and the old lady come better into view. Once he is able to see them both well, he takes note that both of the ladies are standing in an empty parking space. The whole time Leila is seen staring after a tow truck with disdain. The truck is towing an old 1970's-looking car. Based on how they are standing in the parking lot aimlessly and on how they appear rather stressed out, Speedy's first guess is that the car being towed was their method of transportation.

He knows that if he was smart, he would walk away. Leila is strong. She is independent. She will be able to find a way out of this. Yet, Speedy being Speedy, he doesn't walk away. Instead he stays where he's at and continues listening. He already got caught eavesdropping when they were talking to that salesman, and was identified by her as Speedy. At this point, what more does he have to lose?

In the meantime, Leila turns away from the tow truck and faces the elderly woman known as Mrs. Tucker. She no longer appears angry. Rather, the girl appears frustrated.

"Calm down? Mrs. Tucker, I'm not trying to offend you, but I honestly don't think that calming down is going to help. Your car just got towed, your son is gone from the city, and all of the money you had with you was spent on supplies for the birdhouses. It's true that I have some money on me, but I'm not sure if it would be enough for a taxi to get you home. It might only be enough to get you halfway."

Concern is apparent in Mrs. Tucker's voice. "Me? But, Leila, what about you? You aren't honestly considering walking home and letting me take the taxi, are you?"

Speedy sees as Leila runs a hand through her thick, brown, curls in exasperation. "Of course I'm considering that! I can't just let you walk home! Me, I know that I can make it back to my motel room on foot. I walk anywhere from ten to fifteen miles a day. Making the trip won't be a problem for me. It's you that I'm worried about."

Mrs. Tucker looks at her sternly once she is through speaking, and gives a sigh. "Leila, I'm aware that you're a stubborn girl with a good heart, but I can't let you spend your money on me and then walk all the way back to your motel room. First things first, you need that money for your rent. You can't go getting yourself kicked out. I never want to catch you sleeping on park benches and in alleyways again! You're going to get yourself killed! And secondly, you can't walk home no matter how much you say you can do it. It's almost thirty miles across the city! Even  _you_  can't walk that far!"

Running her hand through her hair once more, and this time giving it an aggravated tug, Leila sighs. "Then what do you suggest we do, hitchhike or panhandle? The choice is yours. The fates haven't done me any favors so far, and the deity I've been praying to hasn't sent me that angel I've been asking for, so I can't think of any other options."

If Speedy was unable to walk away before, then he definitely can't walk away now. He wouldn't be able to walk away if somebody paid him.

Massaging his temple using his middle and index fingers, Speedy speaks to himself internally.  _"Leila, you are definitely something different. Until today, I honestly can't say that I've met a person who would be willing to walk thirty miles across the city just so an old woman can take a taxi."_

Shaking his head, he whispers to himself aloud. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Bumblebee and Aqualad aren't going to be happy, and Leila is probably going to think that I'm some kind of stalker, but at this point who cares?"

Deciding that it's now or never, the redhead takes a deep breath and steps out from in between the two cars. He is now approximately ten feet behind the two women, but they don't notice him. Rather, they are busy bickering amongst themselves. He doesn't hear what they say, though. Instead, after looking at them for a moment and taking one last deep breath, Speedy loudly clears his throat. Somehow, clearing his throat is all it takes for them to cease their arguing and look in his direction.

When they first hear him, both of them jump slightly before turning. Upon noticing him, one of them gives another startled jump while the other simply stares at him curiously. The one staring in curiosity is, of course, Mrs. Tucker. She eyes Speedy from head to toe with one of her eyebrows arched. After getting a good look at him she turns to face Leila with a smirk, a twinkle in her eye that appears to be a mixture between teasing and knowing. The whole time Leila doesn't even notice the look the lady gives her. She simply gapes at Speedy in shock.

He doesn't know if she looks startled, annoyed, or embarrassed, but if one thing is obvious, it's that she isn't exactly overjoyed to see him. She looks at him for a second, her emerald eyes widening and her cheeks reddening. A long moment passes where their eyes lock, Leila's light shade of emerald meeting Speedy's vast and vivid shades of green. As he looks at her, he sees that her eyes aren't filled with annoyance like he thought they'd be. Instead they are filled deeply with embarrassment. He doesn't realize it, but his own eyes are filled with nothing but kindness.

Apparently she realizes that their gazes have been connected for too long, because after the longest three seconds of Speedy's life, Leila allows her hair to fall in her face and she shifts her gaze to the ground. Even through her curtain of curls, Speedy is still able to see her crimson cheeks.

"W-what do you want?" she asks in slightly quivering voice that lacks its usual strength. "I thought that you would have gone home by now."

Giving a smile that matches the kindness in his eyes, Speedy moves closer to them by several feet. "That was my plan at first, but some stuff happened that set me back. It's a good thing, too, because I was just putting my cart in the cart corral, and it looks like I ran across a friend who needs help." After a slight pause, he continues. "Not that I was trying to eavesdrop, but I overheard your conversation, and it sounds like both of you are in a tight spot. If you want, I could give you a ride."

Sighing deeply, Leila looks at him once more. Upon doing so, she asks a simple question. "Why? Don't you have things to do?"

Doing his best to meet her gaze through her curtain of hair, he gives a nod and a smile that contain a hint of teasing. "Yeah, but does it matter? I can't just leave you here. If I drove off knowing that you're both stranded, I would feel guilty for the rest of the day. If I feel guilty for the rest of the day, I'll feel guilty for the rest of the night, too. And if I feel guilty for the rest of the night, then I will be awake tossing and turning, wondering if my dear friend, Leila, is out in the Hardware Store parking lot with her elderly lady friend cold and hungry all because I didn't offer them a ride." A mischievous glint in his vibrant emerald orbs, he adds, "You don't want that on your conscience, do you?"

It is only now that embarrassment is replaced by uncertainty. Uncertainty can be seen all over Leila's face at this point. Even so, the girl doesn't have time to express it outwardly. Instead, the elderly lady called Mrs. Tucker is the one who responds. Before words, however, comes laughter.

Moving several steps closer, her laughter softens to chuckles as she speaks to him. "If I doubted it before, then I have no doubts about it now. You are definitely one of my Leila's friends. Your sense of humor matches her's to a T!" Giving another chuckle, she asks, "What's your name, kid?"

Eyes' widening slightly, Speedy hesitates at this question. The whole time, in spite of her indecision at accepting his offer, Leila can be seen eyeing him curiously. For some reason, even though he knows that he shouldn't, he answers the lady's question honestly.

"My name's Roy." Giving another smile, he turns and waves them in the direction of his white Chevrolet. "If you want a ride that's free of charge, then follow me. My truck's not anything too charming, but it gets the job done."

* * *

For years now, Damiana has been with the opinion that the fates don't care about her. After today, however, she's starting to think that they're laughing at her expense. There she is, stranded in the hardware store parking lot in the one of the most desperate situations that she has ever been in, and who shows up to rescue her? None other than the playboy archer. There isn't a single doubt in her mind that the fates must be laughing right now. Only they would allow her to look this helpless and pathetic in front of Speedy.

Sighing mentally, Damiana gives herself a reminder.  _"That's right. He isn't 'Speedy' right now. He's 'Roy'. Or…whatever his actual name is... There's no way that he would give us his real name!"_

Her legs pulled up to her chest, Damiana gazes out the window from the backseat of his truck in attempt to avoid looking at him. When Mrs. Tucker offered her the passenger seat, the alien girl declined in a very blunt fashion before climbing into the back amongst Speedy's purchased items. It's bad enough that she has to degrade herself by accepting his act of charity. There's no way that she's sitting directly next to him on top of that. The closer she is to him, the more opportunities he has to cause her brain to malfunction with his bright, emerald, eyes, flecked with brown.

Ready to yank her hair out, Damiana grumbles internally in aggravated Dabnodian.  _"He has to know that his eyes are pretty. Who knows how many people he has used those eyes on?!"_

Damiana feels as "Roy" gently forces the vehicle to a halt in front of a red light. There are people walking in and out of stores as well as children happily running down the sidewalk. Yet, Damiana doesn't see a single one of them. Instead, all of her focus is on listening to Mrs. Tucker as she chatters happily. They've been in his truck for less than ten minutes, and already she and Speedy are hitting it off.

"So you met Miss Leila at that café she works at, and you made a song request, huh? I'm surprised that she hasn't mentioned you before today."

His voice light and cheerful, she listens as Speedy responds easily. "Yeah, well I'm not surprised by it. We kind of got off to a rocky start. Really, I can't say I blame her for not mentioning me."

Brow raising slightly at this remark, Damiana is tempted to turn in the un-costumed archer's direction. Of course, still feeling very uncomfortable in the backseat of his vehicle, she doesn't. Instead, she continues listening as the light turns green and as the truck begins moving once more.

Giving a short laugh, Mrs. Tucker replies to the archer's statement. "It's easy to get off to a rocky start with Leila. Sometimes she can have more bite than my late Uncle Billy's pet goat!"

Blushing crimson, Leila pulls her hood down so that it covers her face and slumps down in the seat. She is sitting directly behind Speedy, so she is fairly certain that he's looking her over in the rearview mirror. When Mrs. Tucker continues speaking, Leila tugs her hood over her face even farther.

Giving another laugh, she says, "But I'm not going to be too hard on her. Leila is kind of like those SourPatch Kid candies on the commercial. When you first meet her she's sour, but once you get to know her a bit, she's sweet. You just have to get past the sour first."

Speedy gives a response that sounds a tad surprised. "Is that so?"

Unable to keep her gaze pointed out the window any longer, Damiana lifts her head up just enough to shoot Mrs. Tucker an irritated glance. She doesn't know if it's the rearview mirror or one of the side-view mirrors, but apparently the elderly lady can see her in one of them.

Sounding amused, Mrs. Tucker says, "Don't you give me that look, Leila. You know it's true. Out of all the young girls I've had clean my house, none of them have been as sweet as you."

At last, for the first time since climbing into the vehicle, she wills herself to speak. "I don't know about that, Mrs. Tucker. I'm not exactly a ray of sunshine."

The elderly woman scoffs playfully at her comment. "That's nothing a piece of hooey, and you know it. You're a bright girl with a kind heart and a good sense of humor. So stop pretending you're not!" A second later, she adds, "And will you take that hood down, and buy some hairclips so you can pin some of that hair back? Let Roy over here catch a glimpse of your pretty face. He's quite the looker. I wouldn't let him get away from you."

Her face more crimson than before, Damiana groans in discomfort and faces the window once more. Much to her dismay, she sees tall buildings rather than houses. They still haven't made it out of the inner city. Upon making this discovery, she releases an audible groan. The whole time Speedy can be heard releasing soft chuckles. He doesn't sound mocking or deriding, but rather, he sounds amused; maybe even flattered. At this, she releases another groan. This is going to be the longest ride of her life.

* * *

The drive to Mrs. Tucker's neighborhood feels like the shortest drive of Speedy's life. In the past, due to the fact that he has been called "teenage filth" and "a no-good punk", he has never been too fond of old ladies. After today, however, Speedy has to say this is no longer the case. In truth, he rather likes Mrs. Tucker. She's happy, nice, and most of all, she has a sense of humor. Until now, the majority of elderly people he has met have been bitter, and if not bitter, they have pure hatred toward today's youth. It is because of this that meeting an elderly person like Mrs. Tucker is nice for a change.

"… If you think that an industrial-sized box of fish sticks killed him, then you should try bringing sushi back to your roommate! I have a cousin that won't eat seafood for the life her; she's convinced that it's doing an injustice the creatures of the sea, or something of that sort. Anyhow, a few months ago when I went to visit her, I brought a whole bucket of sushi with me. You should have seen that look on that geezer's face! She looked like she was ready to have a stroke!"

Looking around at the picture-perfect houses lining the street, Speedy responds while laughing loudly. "Sushi? I don't know why I haven't thought of that! That's genius!" A moment later he asks, "How did you think of sushi, anyway?"

Humor glinting in her eyes, Mrs. Tucker responds smugly. "Actually, the idea wasn't mine. It was Leila that thought of it. My cousin came to visit me about a month before that, and she bought me four two-liters of diet soda even after I told her that I don't want to get near the stuff! After that stunt she pulled, Leila and I decided that it was payback time!" Guffawing loudly, she adds, "Leila came up with the idea to buy my youngest son a burial plot at the local cemetery for his forty-eighth birthday, too. That was after he got me a shiny new urn from the funeral home for Christmas."

Laughing, Speedy glances at Leila in the rearview mirror. Her hood is pulled down so that it hides the majority of her face, her legs are pulled up to her chest, and her cheeks are growing redder by the second. He can tell that she is embarrassed by all of the information that Mrs. Tucker is revealing about her, yet Speedy can't help but find all of these new facts about the fire user amusing.

Removing his gaze from Leila's reflection and turning back to the road, he speaks out sounding both pleased and surprised. "Leila came up with those ideas? That's awesome!" Peeking into the rearview mirror once more, he says to the girl, "If you'll let me, I'd like to start going to you for material. Together we could have endless fun putting Aqua—ah…m-my roommate…through torture!"

For some reason, that single slip of the tongue is all it takes for Leila lift her gaze. Despite the misery she has been going through during this drive, she gives him a tiny smile.

"I'd really rather not. Sure you put  _'your roommate'_  through torture, but I'm sure that he finds plenty of ways to retaliate against you." Smile fading, she adds, "Just because I can think of a few good tricks, and because I helped you out recently, doesn't mean that I should join up with…your… _group_. It's true that I have…similar abilities… but it doesn't mean that I'm like the rest of you. If I...go…back…with you, you don't know what you're getting…your  _group_ …involved with."

Shrugging, Speedy looks back to the road once again as he replies. "You know, you're putting too much thought into this. Instead of thinking, maybe you should act. Things could turn out better."

A long moment of silence passes once those words are spoken. Speedy drives at twenty-five miles per hour, careful not to hit any of the children that are out playing in the street. Though he isn't looking at her, Leila is sitting rigidly in the backseat. Her hood is starting to slip down, her pale features revealing an expression that is both serious and thoughtful. Never has there been a duo of teenagers who appear more serious and more silent than these two.

The whole time Mrs. Tucker looks back and forth between the two youths while wearing an odd expression. She understands that the way they just spoke to each other, in code, was very intentional. Why they addressed each other in code, the elderly woman doesn't know. All she knows is that there is a lot more to their relationship than they're letting on. Not only that, but the elderly woman is starting to become convinced that there is more to the teenagers themselves that she doesn't know about.

Solemn expressions on their faces, Speedy drives for five more minutes before someone breaks the silence. The person who breaks this silence is none other than Mrs. Tucker. When she speaks, she isn't laughing or smiling for once. Instead, the lady speaks in a firm tone.

"Roy, dear, let me out here. My house is right up the street, so I can make the walk."

Surprised by her request, the two teens jump slightly before turning to face her. Both sets of emerald eyes are wide with shock.

"Are you sure, Mrs. Tucker?" Leila asks from the backseat. "We're so close to your house already that letting you out here doesn't make sense."

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Tucker gives a stiff nod. "I'm sure, Leila. I want to get out here." After a moment of hesitation, she continues. "Leila, I'm not sure who this young man is or how you know each other, but I can tell that your relationship with him goes beyond my comprehension. Whatever is going on here, you two need to talk about it. No talking in code. No use of caution. You need to talk openly. With me sitting here, it's clear that this can't happen."

Speedy doesn't know when he did it, but at some point during Mrs. Tucker's speech, he pulled his white Chevrolet over to the side of the road. Now he is gaping at Leila, and Leila is gaping back at him. Neither of them knows what to do or what to say. All they know is that the elderly woman, Mrs. Tucker, is completely correct in what she just told them.

Unlocking her car door, the woman lowers herself out of the truck as the adolescents stare at each other hesitantly. Before shutting the door, she makes one final statement.

"Leila, honey, don't worry about missing your next job. Whatever those people pay, I will pay you double for taking some time to talk things out with this young man. Take a drive. Go somewhere. Just talk to each other."

With that being said Mrs. Tucker shuts the truck's passenger side door, and heads off down the sidewalk. Speedy doesn't take off again right away, half expecting Leila to get out and go sprinting down the middle of the road in the opposite direction of his vehicle. A moment later, however, Speedy finds himself surprised beyond words. Leila does move, but it isn't to get out of his truck. Instead she unbuckles her seatbelt, braces her arms against the headrests of the driver's and passenger's seats, and swings her body so that she lands in the seat directly beside him.

Pushing back her hood and running her fingers through her hair, Leila faces him. When she speaks she doesn't sound upset or angry. Instead, she sounds nothing other than confused and stressed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Speedy, Mrs. Tucker is right. We need to talk about everything that happened. I can't take this anymore."

* * *

Damiana sits curled up against the leather of the passenger seat, allowing Speedy to drive them wherever his heart desires. Now that she's actually paying attention, his truck is really quite nice. It isn't brand new, but it isn't old either. The inside of it is clean without any dirt or food wrappers laying around. Nothing is dusty, and none of the vents or buttons on the dashboard are broken. Based on the glimpse she caught of the outside, it is washed and waxed as well. If this truly is his vehicle and not Aqualad's or Bumblebee's, then she has to say that she's impressed.

Of course, outweighing how pleased she is with Speedy's vehicle is the fact that Damiana is surprised at herself. Speedy was pulled over on the side of the road for almost five straight minutes. She had plenty of time to hop out of his truck and dash down the street. To be honest, Damiana was actually thinking about it, too. Yet, she didn't. Instead she jumped into the front seat, confessed that she wants to talk things over with him, and agreed to let Speedy take them wherever.

As the alien girl curls up in the passenger seat, she goes back and forth between staring out the window and glancing over at Speedy. Sometimes when she's looking out the window she can feel his eyes on her, and occasionally when she glances over at him Damiana catches him taking glimpses. Somehow, in spite of how much he glances at her, Speedy's driving remains very smooth and watchful. That's another thing that is surprising to her is what a good driver Speedy is. For some reason, Damiana thought that he would be more reckless.

Approximately fifteen minutes passes, and neither of them speaks. Instead Damiana watches out the window as they turn onto a main road, and as the houses transform into small shops and a scant few restaurants. As far as she can tell, they aren't going back to the inner city, but are actually heading in the opposite direction. Several more minutes pass, and eventually Speedy speaks, but it isn't to say anything too significant. Truth be told, she didn't even know that they pulled in somewhere until he rolled down the driver's side window and a nasal female voice spoke through a speaker.

"Hello! Welcome to Mijo's Tacos! Can I take your order?"

Suddenly becoming aware of their surroundings, Damiana sees that they're going through the drive thru at a Mexican-themed restaurant. Or more specifically, a restaurant that has several locations in Steel City known as  _"Mijo's Tacos"_. Wondering why they're here, Damiana looks at the speaker and then at the redhead with a raised brow. As a response, Speedy doesn't say much. He simply gives a shrug before asking a very basic question.

"Do you want anything? If you do, then I would suggest getting tacos. They're great here!"

Damiana's brow remains raised. A little over an hour ago she was at the hardware store with Mrs. Tucker looking for supplies to fix birdhouses. Now she is sitting in the passenger seat of one of the Titans' very nice cars, taking a drive, and getting lunch with an out-of-costume Speedy. This day is turning out weird…

It takes a moment, but at last she replies. "Sure, I guess I'll have a taco. Make it chicken."

Giving a swift a nod, he turns back to the speaker. "I'll take four tacos, two chicken and two fish. I'll also have two medium cokes."

A few seconds pass, but eventually the nasal female voice responds. "Your order comes to sixteen ninety-five. Pull up to the window when ready."

Without another word Speedy pulls up to the window, removes his wallet, and begins counting out the correct amount of money. Watching him intently, Damiana speaks as he does this.

"If you want, I can pay for my half. You don't have to pick up the tab for me."

Giving a smile, he replies, "Hey, don't worry about it. The tacos are on me. Think of it as my way of saying thanks for not running away again." Pausing, he adds, "Besides, I haven't eaten since this morning, and you probably haven't either. Odds are that we're both pretty hungry."

Damiana doesn't argue with him even a little bit. Accepting his generosity, she gives a nod as he hands a woman in her mid-thirties cash through the order window. In exchange, she hands him a takeout bag and two sodas. Putting the sodas in the cup holders and the bag of tacos in Damiana's lap, he exits the fast-food restaurant's parking lot and drives back out onto the road.

Where he's taking them, she doesn't know. Much like earlier, where they're going still doesn't matter to Damiana. Instead she watches out the window as the buildings become scanter, and as the road grows narrower. She has never been in this area before and should be questioning where they're going, but she doesn't. The only time that she cares about anything is when Speedy brings the car to a halt in front of a red light. When he stops, the archer uses this as his cue to speak.

"You know, I probably shouldn't jump into this so fast, but I honestly don't think I have much to lose. This question has been eating at me ever since you left, and I need to ask it." Speedy hesitates for a long moment, but then he continues. "It's hard to explain, but you're acting different from when I first met you. When I first met you, you were an angry ball of fire that was ready to explode. But now…now you're completely different. Ever since that fight with Black Shadow and his robots, you've been different. Why is that?"

Not knowing what to do or how to respond, Damiana gives a small sigh as she attempts redirecting the subject. "I haven't been acting different. I don't know what you're talking about."

Much to her disappointment, Speedy doesn't believe her for an instant. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Leila. You used to be bold, and cold, and angry, but now you're not. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you've been acting like you're scared." A few seconds later, he asks, "What changed exactly? Are you scared of Black Shadow? Scared of getting close to the Titans East? Scared of being friends with some  _'pimp'_  that you met in a café? What is it?"

Directly after Speedy finishes his string of questions the light turns green, and he steps on the gas to urge his truck forward. The whole time Damiana doesn't know how to respond to him. She simply stares in disbelief. He is much more perceptive than she thought he'd be. It is because of this that Damiana surprises herself yet again by responding with sincerity. That is why she decided to skip her next job to go with him, isn't it?

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she speaks. "To be honest, Speedy, I guess I'm scared of…everything. I'm scared of this villain you're after, I'm horrified that I came out and told all of you about my powers, I'm scared at the thought of joining the Titans East. All of it scares me. For years now, I have been making it on my own without saying a thing to anybody. Besides the name  _'Leila'_ , nobody knew a thing. My personality, my powers, the details of my life, all of it was kept secret. But now, in less than a week, I feel like the Titans are digging up everything that I try so hard to keep buried.

"Not only that, but I thought about what you said the other day, and I'm starting to feel like you're right. Somehow, through everything that has happened, Black Shadow has become my villain too. This also scares me! Until four days ago, I've never had a villain to fight. I've never had a real reason to use my powers, or people who encourage me to use them. With meeting you, meeting the rest of your team, and fighting Black Shadow, I guess it feels like my life is changing."

Once Damiana is through speaking, a moment of silence passes. By now all of the buildings have vanished completely, and they are now driving on a road along the rocky coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. The sun is shining brightly and reflects off of the water brilliantly, making it a pretty sight despite the jaggedness of the coastline. Damiana has never seen the coastline before even if she does live in Steel City, so getting to see it for once is nice.

Meanwhile, after mulling everything over with contemplative emerald orbs, Speedy gives a response. "You make it sound like your life changing is a bad thing, but is it really? According to what you just told me, you have been struggling through life by yourself for ages now. No offense, but working yourself into the ground to survive and avoiding people like the plague sounds like it sucks."

Damiana has no idea why, but his comment doesn't offend her in the least. Instead, she replies while giving a shrug. "Yeah, well, it isn't exactly a picnic at the park. I get by, though, so it's okay."

"But don't you want to do more than get by? You're sixteen, Leila! Spending time with a friend, talking, and eating tacos is something you should be doing every Saturday! Sure the Titans have responsibilities that other teenagers don't have, saving the world from evil being one of them, but other than that we're pretty normal. Bee, Aqualad, and Mas and Menos aren't just my teammates, but they're my friends, too. We watch movies, go out for pizza, do stuff at the park, argue over who's doing the dishes, and everything else that normal roommates do."

Not understanding his point, Damiana looks at him strangely. "Why are you telling me this?"

Shrugging, Speedy pulls off of the road and into a parking lot surrounded by rocks and foliage as he replies. "To let you know exactly what the Titans are like. If you do come back to the Tower at some point, you need to know that the Titans are friends as much as superheroes." Pausing slightly, he adds, "To be honest, we already consider you a part of our team. Once you fight side-by-side with us, you become one of our friends."

It is here that another moment of silence passes, the two of them sitting in Speedy's truck without getting out. A few days ago, Damiana would have ran like a bolt upon hearing his words. Heck, she wouldn't have been willing to stay in his vehicle in the first place! Yet, for a reason that not even she herself understands, the girl doesn't move. Instead she takes in Speedy's words and turns them over in her head before responding.

"After helping you fight one villain one time after just meeting me that day, the other Titans really think of me as their friend?  _You_  think of me as your friend?" Pausing slightly, she adds, "You guys are awfully trusting of strangers."

Giving a smile followed by another shrug, Speedy gets out of the truck and shuts the door behind him. It doesn't take long for Damiana to follow suit. Once they're out of the truck, Damiana follows Speedy away from the parking lot to a small trail that leads off into the rocks and the foliage. A few seconds of walking are all it takes for her to notice a fork in the trail up ahead. One side of the fork leads to a grassy area containing trees and foliage, and the other side of the fork leads downhill to the rocky coastline. Amongst the coastline, the alien girl notices a wooden dock that overhangs the water.

In the meantime, Speedy replies to her prior statement with amusement gleaming in his eyes. "You know, you may be pointing that finger at the Titans, but you have three pointing back at yourself. You barely know me in the same way that the Titans barely know you, but who is the person that hopped in my truck, stayed when she had the chance to leave, and basically gave me permission to take her anywhere? Not to mention that you let me buy you tacos, and that you're willingly taking a walk with me down to the dock."

His words hitting her like a bolt, the girl suddenly realizes how true his accusations are. Face blushing crimson in discomfort, she does her best to explain.

"This doesn't count! You see—" Unable to think of where she's going with this statement, she cuts off and begins another one. "But—"

This time it is Speedy that cuts her off. He doesn't do so with words, but with amused laughter. Emerald eyes twinkling, he laughs lightly as he catches her gaze. Like several other times today, his half-dozen shades of emerald green flecked with brown enchant her as he gives a response.

" _'But'_  nothing."

Hesitating in his steps, he moves closer to her and takes the bag of fish tacos. Opening it up, he removes Damiana's chicken tacos and hands them to her. The two that are his he keeps in the bag. From here he walks a couple feet ahead up the path, turns around to face her, and motions for Damiana to continue following.

"Come on. You'll love the dock. Nobody ever comes here, so we can talk without worrying about anyone overhearing."

* * *

Out of all the places to bring her, Speedy still can't figure out why he brought Leila to the dock. Sure it's quiet and there's nobody around, but it's also several miles outside the city. Not only that, but because of the lack of scenery and nothing to do besides stare at the water, most people find the dock painfully boring. Of course, due to the fact that he was acting on impulse and that this was the only place he could think to take her, here they are and here they'll stay. At least until they're done talking, anyway.

Lucky for him, however, Leila doesn't seem to be responding negatively to his choice of venue. She sits on the dock's edge, one leg tucked under her and the other dangling over the water. She eats her first taco slowly, looking out at the ocean while wearing a mildly pleased expression. The girl hasn't done a whole lot of smiling today, so the fact that she appears even a little bit happy is a good sign to the archer.

It takes a few seconds, but after chewing and swallowing a bite of food, Leila finally speaks.

"I probably should have asked this a lot sooner, but what exactly happened with Black Shadow? Based on the way you've been talking, it doesn't sound like the Titans have caught him." After a short moment of hesitation, she adds, "I know that I'm not a part of your team, but I can still tell that Black Shadow isn't like other villains. He seems worse."

Swallowing a bite of his own taco, he replies instantly. "That's because he _is_  worse. He's the only criminal on record that was able to escape from an underground prison cell surrounded by lasers and a level fourteen containment field. He's the only criminal the Titans have faced who figured out a way to evolve his powers, and is crazy enough to plan revenge on a massive scale. He's evil, manipulative, he gets inside peoples' heads, he's crazy…" Trailing off, Speedy sighs and takes another bite of his taco. A moment later he adds, "It's been a while since the Titans have faced an enemy this extreme."

More than a minute of silence passes, the duo looking out at the water as sunlight shines off of its wavy surface. Now that Speedy is actually looking at the scenery, he's starting to realize what a good impulsive decision it was to come here. With the seriousness of their conversation, watching the waves and listening as they slap against the rocky shore has a wonderful calming effect. According to the intent way that Leila watches the ocean, the view soothes her as well.

After several moments, the girl speaks at last. "I know that the Titans take on common criminals like bank robbers and drug dealers, but you've also taken on incredibly dangerous criminals, right? Criminals that want to destroy the Titans, gain unlimited power, and take over cities?"

Taken off guard by this question, Speedy gapes at her with surprised, green, eyes. The whole time Leila returns his gaze, nothing but curiosity seen across her features. As they stare at each other, the girl slowly chews another bite of her taco while waiting for him to respond. At last the archer speaks.

"Yes, actually. We have. The Titans have taken on criminals just as dangerous as the criminals that the  _'big Justice League hero_ es' have taken on." One moment of contemplation later, he continues. "Before the Titans East formed, the Titans West had to take on a villain called Slade;  _twice._  He was the Titans Wests' criminal, so we really shouldn't know about him, but Robin talks about him sometimes. According to Robin, he was forced into being Slade's apprentice, and then another teammate that they had for a while, Terra, was also forced into it. Slade was such a big threat that he took over Jump City, and the only way to defeat him was at the cost of Terra's life."

Swallowing the bite of food that she was chewing, Leila stares at Speedy openly in surprise. "The Titans West had a teammate that died? I didn't know that."

Speedy nods in confirmation. "Whether or not you know about her, she was real. You've probably never heard of her because the people in charge of Jump City try so hard to cover Terra up. She was on the Titans West team for a while, but ended up siding with Slade. He deceived her, used her to take over the city, and then she died helping the Titans West defeat him. In the end Terra was a hero, but she still sided with Slade for a while, so Jump City acts like she never happened." After a miniscule pause, he adds, "At least that's the story according to the Titans West. I wasn't anywhere near Jump City when it happened. I was on a mission in Russia with Aquaman, Aqualad, and Black Canary."

Leila doesn't speak for a long time after this. Speedy watches as she stares out the water wearing a solemn expression, taking all of this new information in.

Eventually, Leila asks another question. "And the Titans East? What villains have you taken on? Were any of them as dangerous as Slade?"

He answers without hesitation. "Oh, absolutely! The whole reason the Titans East formed in the first place was to help take one of these villains down." Knowing already that she's going to ask what villain this was, Speedy continues. "Cyborg and Bumblebee infiltrated the HIVE Academy for a while. The HIVE Academy was basically a school for villains, and they wanted to gather information on the head master, Brother Blood. By the time it was all over Blood and his robots infiltrated our Tower, we got brainwashed, we were almost dissected and turned into robot-human mutants, and the Titans West had to come bail us out."

Her eyes widening once more, Leila stares at him. Before she has a chance to say anything, Speedy chuckles and speaks in her place.

"What? Are you surprised that my unbreakable willpower and fantastic biceps weren't enough to break Blood's hypnosis?" Giving another chuckle, he adds, "Honestly, I was surprised by it too."

Surprise fading from her gaze, Leila rolls her eyes at him in irritation. At the same time, the un-costumed archer is almost positive that he sees a smirk.

"Don't give yourself too much credit. I didn't come here so I can lust after you, if that's what you're thinking." After another bite of her taco, she continues in a more somber fashion. "I just didn't know that the Titans have faced these kinds of criminals before. If this is the case, then I guess that makes Black Shadow one more villain that needs to get defeated so he can be added to the storybooks."

This time Speedy is the one who lapses into silence. For once, he has absolutely no idea what to say. More than anything, he would like to confirm Leila's statement. In a way, what she's saying is true. Black Shadow is just another criminal that they have to defeat so he can turn into another story. Of course, her words are also a way of simplifying what is currently a very intense situation for the Titans. Sure Slade and Brother Blood are just stories to them now, but at the time they were real criminals who put them all in real places of danger. It is because of this that Speedy responds the way he does.

Giving a weighted sigh, he speaks. "Leila, if there's one thing you need know, it's that it doesn't matter what enemies the Titans have fought before. I could go on to tell you about how the Brotherhood of Evil tried taking out young heroes, and about how we all came together to defeat them even though it looked impossible. To be honest, I would love to tell you about Brother Blood and the Brotherhood of Evil with detail, because the stories are amazing. But that's exactly what they are now;  _stories_. They don't matter anymore.

"Sometimes you need to forget the past so you can focus on the present. A year from now he's going to be like Slade, Brother Blood, and the Brotherhood of Evil; another story. But right now he isn't. He declared war on the hero world, he's a real threat, and it's up to the Titans to stop him. If we don't stop him, then we can kiss the world as we know it goodbye, because Black Shadow _is_  going to destroy it. I know he will. As soon as the world's heroes are gone, that psychopath is going to unleash chaos."

Again, like many other times today, the girl's green eyes widen. "He really declared war on the hero world? His goal is to destroy all of the world's superheroes?"

Giving a nod at her question, Speedy replies without missing a beat. "That's exactly his goal. He told that to the rest of my team himself while we were on the upper floor destroying his robots. He declared war on the hero world, and said that it isn't going to be over until only one of us is left standing. The man's demented, but that doesn't mean that he isn't smart, and it doesn't mean that he won't be able to put his plan into action."

Speedy pauses a long time before continuing. He doesn't realize it, but when he speaks, he does so in a manner that changes the young fire user's opinion of him forever. It's a good thing that he isn't wearing his mask, because everything he's saying is reflected in his eyes.

"You're probably not going to believe me, Leila, but just because I flirt with a few girls in a cafe doesn't mean that I want to take them to bed. And just because I like to tease people and have fun doesn't mean that I don't know when to be serious. When it comes down to it, I  ** _am_**  a Titan, and I would sacrifice anything to keep this world safe." Pausing, he adds, "So, before you join the Titans, ask yourself if you're willing to push away the past and sacrifice anything. If you can honestly say yes to both of these things, then that's how you know that you'll make a good superhero."

Leila doesn't say anything in response once he's through speaking. First she looks at him, and then she shifts her gaze to the ocean. Speedy's first note of observation is that she no longer appears shocked, neither does she appear frightened. Instead her face sports an expression that is both intent and thoughtful, as if deeply mulling over his words. Honestly, Speedy doesn't mind the silence. Sitting at the end of the dock, watching the water, and finishing their tacos without speaking is a nice thing to be able to do. If he could, he would stay here for the rest of the day.

It's only too sad that this peaceful time of eating lunch at the end of the dock has to come to an end. Before he has time to down the last bite of his second taco, his smartphone sounds off loudly. This startles him so badly that the boy leaps to his feet out of terror, causing him to throw the rest of his taco off the end of the dock and into the water below. He doesn't know if it is his sudden movement that does it, or the sound of  _"It's Not Me It's You"_  by Skillet coming from his pocket, but Leila too gives a startled jump.

Of course, knowing whose ringtone this is, Speedy has more of a reason to be scared than the fire user. If Bee knew about the ringtone he uses whenever she calls, then his fear would be even more valid. Bumblebee finding out about her ringtone would be even worse than that time Aqualad figured out that his ringtone was that song from The Little Mermaid,  _"Under the Sea"_. Gulping nervously, Speedy digs his phone out of his pocket and sits back down as Leila stares at him oddly.

Holding the phone approximately six inches away from his ear, he answers, "Hello?"

Three seconds are all it takes. The shouting is so loud that his phone doesn't even have to be set to speaker for both he and Leila to hear every word clearly.

"Roy, where the heck are you?! You were supposed to be back here  _hours_  ago! You better not be flirting around with slutty girls and eating pie again!"

Sounding calm, almost cheerful, he replies easily. "Oh! Hi, Bee!" Pausing, he asks, "So how's the research going?"

This only causes her to grow angrier. "It would be going better if you were back here doing your share of the work! You were only supposed to be at the hardware store for an hour, and you've been gone for three-and-half! Don't tell me that the hardware store is so great that you decided to spend the day there! The screwdriver aisle can't possibly be that interesting!"

His gaze shifting to Leila, he replies sounding even more chipper. "Actually, Bee, it was more interesting than you think. You'll never believe what I found! Trust me."

"What you found better be something good, because you're not getting off easy this time! When you get back here, you are getting straight to work!"

"I understand, Bee, and I promise that I will be back soon. For now, however, I have to bid you farewell. Believe me, this is as sad for me as it is for you."

By now steam can practically be heard pouring out of her ears. "Roy, don't you dare hang up the phone on m—"

Unfortunately for the girl on the other end, she never has time to finish her sentence. Before she can say another word, Speedy hangs up on her and shoves the phone back inside of his pocket. The whole time, Leila gapes at him.

"Uh…Speedy? Are you going to be okay back at the Tower?"

Shrugging, Speedy stands up once more. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. This isn't the first time Bee has been mad at me. Or Aqualad, for that matter. Knowing him, he's probably angry, too." Taking a few steps forward, he says, "Come on. I'll drive you home."

Knowing that the time to leave has come, Leila stands up from her spot on the dock and follows after him. With as quiet as she has been today, Speedy expects the walk back to his truck to be completely silent. However, once they're halfway up the path, she manages to surprise him.

Eyes filled to the brim with curiosity, she asks, "Speedy? I don't know if I'm overstepping my boundaries here, but is  _'Roy'_  your actual name?"

Hesitating in his steps, he looks at her with brown-flecked eyes sparkling a half-dozen shades of emerald. "What do you think?"

He doesn't say anything more, and he honestly doesn't need to. Somehow that is all it takes for her to know the right answer.


	13. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Thirteen

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Thirteen**

Damiana lays sprawled out across her bed staring blankly at the ceiling. According to the red, blocky, numbers of her alarm clock, the time is five thirty-one pm. For once when she is at her motel room the TV isn't on, the girl isn't eating partially spoiled leftovers, and she isn't thinking about meeting this month's rent. Instead the television is turned off, for once her stomach is full, and paying rent is the farthest thing from her mind. Not only that, but her curtains are closed, the lights are off, and her contact lenses are out.

Without her true eyes being hidden by a false coating of green, a horrendous shade of bruise-colored purple is seen. Usually the girl would never dream of removing her contacts this early in the day, but at this point she's desperate. Maybe if she allows just a tiny hint of her Dabnodian self to peek through, then maybe the random deity that she often prays to will listen to her. Who knows? Maybe he hasn't answered her prayers all this time because he wants to hear from Damiana instead of Leila.

Whispering in Dabnodian, the girl speaks aloud into the motel room's darkness. "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need help. My life is being turned upside down, but this isn't the part that's scary. What's scary is that, even if my life is changing, I don't want to stop it."

Breathing in deep, Damiana listens as familiar words echo inside of her head.  _"I **am** a Titan, and I would sacrifice anything to keep this world safe. So before you join the Titans, ask yourself if you're willing to push away the past and sacrifice anything."_

"Am I willing to push away the past and sacrifice anything?" Damiana says to the deity curiously. "As strange as it is, I'm starting think that I would. The Titans have sacrificed so much to keep Earth safe, so why shouldn't I? It might have only been a dream, but even my father wants me to let go of the past and join the Titans. Dabnod might be gone, but ever since that dream, I'm starting to think that my life still matters anyway. As Daddy put it, Dabnod is gone, but I am not. With Black Shadow going to war with the heroes, what if the Titans need me?"

Taking another deep breath, familiar words echo once more.  _"A year from now he's going to be like Slade, Brother Blood, and the Brotherhood of Evil; another story. But right now he isn't. He declared war on the hero world, he's a threat, and it's up to the Titans to stop him."_

Running both hands through her hair, Damiana continues. "I never thought that I would say this, but Roy was right about everything he told me. About Black Shadow, about what it means to be a Titan, he was right. He knows what he's talking about. After getting so deeply involved with them, and after learning about what a huge threat Black Shadow really is, I don't think that I would ever be able to turn my back on them."

Holding her breath for a moment in exasperation, she releases it as she resumes speaking. "It's because of this that I'm scared. Hiding being a Dabnodian, keeping my distance from that Tamaranean, Starfire. After all the secrets I've worked so hard to protect, am I really willing to throw caution to the wind so easily? If I join the Titans East, it's only a matter of time before they find out."

Sitting up from her bed, Damiana works her way to her feet and begins pacing around the motel room. Her eyes are now stormy gray, and she speaks rapidly in panic-filled Dabnodian.

"Please! If you're listening to me, this is my single problem, and I need a way out! No matter how much I let go of the past, I'm still a survivor from Dabnod. Starfire is still the princess of Tamaran. If Starfire finds out what I am, then there  _will_ be conflict! What am I supposed to do?! Act like nothing is wrong, and do my best to forget that she is the princess of the race that destroyed my home?!"

Running a hand through her hair as she paces, Damiana feels as her stormy eyes begin welling up with tears. It is only under these circumstances that the girl is able to feel so much pain and so much anger all at once.

"I'm sorry, God, but I hate Starfire! I hate every Tamaranean that breathes! Even if we're on separate teams, we have to meet at some point. The instant I see her in person, I…I'm afraid that I'm going to kill her. No matter how much control I think I have, there's no telling how I'm going to react once I see her." Pausing, she adds with a sob, "If I ever meet Starfire, even if my secret of being a Dabnodian gets out, please don't let me kill her. I will continue to hate her with every bone in my body and will even hope that something else kills her, but I don't want to be the thing that does it."

Somehow, in spite of her tears, Damiana manages to laugh bitterly at herself. "Geesh. It's no wonder the fates have cursed me, and that you haven't answered my prayers. What a pathetic sight I must seem to an all-powerful God. A girl who ruthlessly killed one Tamaranean on the night of her planet's destruction who is now asking for strength not to kill another. How savage and blood-thirsty can one girl be?"

Giving another laugh, this one filled with more bitterness than before, the girl adds her final thoughts. "I sure hope that you're willing to help me, because my stubborn hearts already know what they want to do. They want to run foolishly after Roy to join the Titans East. They won't listen to my brain who keeps telling them that I should keep hidden because I'm a Dabnodian. They want to run after Roy anyway, no matter how badly it will turn out once my secret gets revealed." Shaking her head, the girl concludes her conversation with God. "What a foolish girl I'm turning out to be."

* * *

Speedy dropped Leila off, but not at her motel room. Much like what happened with Mrs. Tucker, Leila insisted on being dropped off a little ways away from her motel room so that she could walk the rest of the way. The only difference is that, rather than her motel room being up the street like Mrs. Tucker's house, the fire user's dwelling place was several blocks away. The archer didn't argue with her, though. As reluctant as he was, he let her out of his truck and allowed her to walk home. Speedy has no problem with the fact that Leila wants to keep where she lives a secret. Everybody likes their privacy.

In the meantime, after being gone for four straight hours during what was supposed to be a one-hour trip, Speedy pulls his vehicle back into the Tower's garage. Bumblebee and Aqualad are most likely going to kill him for being gone so long, but once he explains what happened, there's no doubt that they'll understand.

Removing his shopping bags from the backseat, three in each arm and holding the handle of an additional bag in his mouth, Speedy slams the door of his truck shut using his knee. He would make a second trip instead of carrying everything at once, but with his lateness and with the fact that Cyborg is going to be here soon, the archer doesn't have time. Before saying a word to his teammates, the first thing he wants to do is change back into his uniform. The last thing he needs is for any of the Titans West to catch him without his mask. Similar to his teammates, he'll let them see his eyes eventually, but not yet; not until he's ready. There has already been one person who saw his eyes before he was ready.

Speedy frowns at the thought as he makes his way up the stairs leading to the Tower's common room, but then quickly pushes it away. There's nothing he can do about it now. Leila has seen his eyes, she knows Roy, and there's no changing that. If anything, it probably worked out for the better. Seeing this other side of him might have been exactly the push she needed to join the Titans East.

It is here that his frown morphs into a smile. As a whole, his day has turned out okay. Even better than okay, honestly. It has turned out great! As long as there aren't any more surprises waiting for him, the archer has no complaints.

Meanwhile, as he nears the top of the stairs, surprised shouts are heard. They echo so loudly that Aquaman can probably hear them from Atlantis.

"You're telling me that he was hiding in your car for four days, eating your food, and charging motel rooms to your bank account, and you never suspected that he was with you? Not once?!"

Hesitating in his steps, Speedy raises a brow at Aqualad's words. Based on what he's saying, it sounds like he could be talking to Cyborg. He isn't here already, is he?! He didn't even see the T-car when he pulled into the garage!

Turning around and ducking down so that he can see into the garage once more, Speedy gazes at the enclosure's far end. Certainly enough the T-car is there, and it is parked on the garage's opposite side next to Bee's and Aqualad's leisure vehicles. Of course. With the parking arrangement, it's no wonder that he didn't notice it before.

As he turns back toward the top of the stairwell the metal man's voice can be heard, confirming the fact that Cyborg has arrived.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that the green bean would stow away?! I didn't know that eating all that tofu made him _that_  crazy! I just thought that I had hobos stealing all my food and getting ahold of my account numbers!"

This time Bumblebee can be heard responding. Her voice isn't surprised like Aqualad's, but rather, she sounds teasing. "Right. Because a large six-foot-four man made out of metal who uses an arm cannon is the first guy that hobos would want to take advantage of."

Brow raising even farther at these comments, Speedy hikes the rest of the way up the stairs and passes through the sliding metal door that leads into the common room. When first stepping through the door, his initial goal isn't much different from before. Quietly setting all of the bags down against the wall beside the doorway, his first impulse is to rush to his bedroom and change into his costume before returning. Yet, despite this impulse, Speedy finds himself stopping in the common room's entryway to stare. What he sees is truly an odd sight. Odd…and disturbing.

Gathered together in front of the sofa are, of course, Bumblebee, Aqualad, and Cyborg. They face the part of the wall that doubles as a screen, as if getting ready to make contact with someone. Of course, this isn't the part that strikes Speedy as odd. What truly catches him off guard is the sight of Beast Boy in the middle of the sofa with Mas y Menos sitting on either side of him in a serious fashion.

The green Titan isn't supposed to be anywhere near Steel City, so for this reason alone the sight of Beast Boy is surprising. However, when taking into account that he is laying on his stomach with his arms tied behind his back and with his legs bound together tightly, this makes the sight of him even more shocking. The whole time he grunts loudly and incohesively while squirming against his bindings, making it known that he must be gagged as well.

At one point the green boy morphs into a snake in attempt to slither free. Much to his astonishment, however, his escape attempt is halted with a bold slap to the face by Menos.

"¡No se escapa!"

Emerald eyes wide at the sight, Speedy finds himself walking farther into the common room practically against his will. During this time, he actually forgets that he isn't wearing his mask. Instead he looks at Beast Boy who still struggles against his bindings, at Mas y Menos who tighten his bindings, and then at the room's three other occupants who finally notice him. Bumblebee and Aqualad glare at him harshly, a mixture of irritation and disdain in their gazes. Meanwhile, Cyborg's expression doesn't match theirs in the slightest. Rather, he gapes at Speedy wearing a surprised expression.

Ignoring their irked expressions as well as Cyborg's astonished one, he shifts his gaze back to Beast Boy who, despite all odds, is still trying to get loose. The whole time the archer sounds highly disturbed.

"Uh…do I even want to know what's going on here, or am I better left in the dark?"

"You'd know what's going on here if you would've gotten back here three hours ago like you were supposed to," Bumblebee replies irritably.

"You were supposed to finish dissecting the robots' power cores before Cyborg showed up," adds Aqualad crossly. "Wherever you were goofing off at, I hope it was worth it."

Turning back in their direction, Speedy opens his mouth to begin explaining. After running into Leila again, and after seeing how close she is to joining the Titans, he doesn't have a moment to lose. Before he can get a word out edgewise, however, Cyborg shouts out in surprise.

"Hold on a second. You're really Speedy? You can't be Speedy!" Moving closer to the archer, Cyborg points a large metal finger at his face. "I've known Speedy for over a year, and I've never seen him without his mask  ** _once_**!"

The reality finally occurring to him that he doesn't have his mask on, Speedy's emerald orbs widen and he raises a hand so that he's feeling around his eyes.

"Oh, crap. I guess I  _don't_  have my mask on." Throwing another glance back at the couch, he adds, "I guess seeing Beast Boy bound and gagged on our sofa with Mas and Menos playing  _'good cop, bad cop'_  kind of made me forget about it."

How it happens nobody knows, but by some miracle, Beast Boy manages to get the gag off of his mouth. Even without looking at him, this is made painfully obvious.

"Speedy isn't wearing his mask? Dude, I've never even seen  _Robin_  without his mask! Tagging along with Cyborg to Steel City is worth it already! I knew that all of the cool stuff happens to Cy!" To Speedy, he says, "Is it okay if you turn around so I can see your eyes? This is a once in a lifetime chance!"

Knowing that there's no backing out now, Speedy shrugs and turns in his direction. The green boy's arms and legs are still bound, yet he somehow manages to angle his head in a way so that he can get a good look at Speedy. After several long and intense moments of staring, which he is very used to due to his first maskless encounter with his teammates, Beast Boy voices his thoughts.

"Dude, Cyborg's right. There's no way you're Speedy. I thought for sure that your eyes were brown."

Cyborg immediately concurs with his tied-up friend. "Come to think of it, I thought that his eyes would be brown too! Personally, I always thought that Robin's eyes would be the green ones."

Their comments don't surprise him in the slightest. For some reason, nearly everybody assumes that his eyes are brown under the mask. All besides the scant few who believe that his eyes are gray. He doesn't know why, but the green always seems to catch people off guard.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee puts this debate on eye color to a stop.

"Well, now we all know Speedy's darkest secret. Under the mask, his eyes are green. Soon, maybe we'll be able to uncover the dark secret of Robin's eye color, too." Making a bold gesture toward the screen, she continues. "Speaking of Robin, we should really contact him about Sparky's stowaway. Beast Boy told Cyborg that he would fess up to Robin about what he did. Right Beast Boy?"

Deafening silence fills the common room to capacity as all eyes turn in Beast Boy's direction. All of the sudden, it is very clear to Speedy why they had to tie him up. When Beast Boy begins trying to break free from his bindings double-time, and when he pleads loudly for mercy, things become even more apparent to the archer.

"Aw, come on! Please don't make me talk to Robin! Anything but that! I would rather play seven minutes in heaven with an angry Raven!" Turning into a monkey, and then into a bear, he does his best to break the ropes that tie him up. Yet, the ropes manage to stay perfectly intact. As he does this, he shouts angrily. "Mas, Menos, what the heck? Were you two in Boy Scouts or something?!"

As the green boy tries to escape, Bumblebee makes her way over to the main console and types in the code to connect with the Titans West Tower's frequency. A moment later the screen part of the wall turns black, the words  _"connecting"_  coming across it in solid, white, letters. The sight of this earns another panicked scream from Beast Boy. As this happens, Speedy shakes his head and moves to exit the common room. Without turning back around the face them, he explains where he's going.

"I'll be back in a minute. I just need to put my mask on and change back into my uniform. Don't wait up." After a moment of hesitation, he adds, "Oh, and once Beast Boy's argument with Robin is over, I really should tell you why I was gone so long. It might turn out to be important."

* * *

"Stop kidding around, Speedy. There's no way that you ran into Leila, and no way that she would have been able to recognize you without the mask and costume. That's impossible!"

The group of teens sit congregated in the common room, some on the sofa and the rest on the floor leaning against the sofa. Speedy sits at the sofa's far end, his red uniform, yellow boots, and fingerless gloves back in place along with his mask. When he reentered the common room Robin was on the screen scolding Beast Boy, but he honestly didn't hear a word he said. All of his thoughts were on how to explain to his team that he spent most of the afternoon with Leila, and that because of the time they spent together, the girl is now one step closer to joining up with them.

Of course, now that he finished telling them the basics of how he ran into her in the aisle with the screwdrivers and the hammers, his teammates are skeptical along with Cyborg and Beast Boy. Aqualad's words of skepticism are only a few of many.

Meanwhile, Cyborg chimes in concurrence with the aquatic Titan. "Yeah, man. When you first walked in here,  _I_  didn't even recognize you for a minute! There's no way that a girl who's only seen you a handful of times would be able to recognize you!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Speedy stares them down sternly. "Okay, fine. If I'm making this up, then where have I been all afternoon? I wasn't out partying if that's what you guys are thinking! When I say that I ran into Leila and that she recognized me, I'm being serious. She was there with this old lady she cleans for, and they were buying stuff to fix birdhouses. We needed stuff from the same aisle, and we crossed paths. She did something funny, I laughed, she looked at me, and she placed me. That's basically what happened in a nutshell."

Giving a strained sigh, Bumblebee winces from the sofa's opposite end and slaps herself in the forehead. "If that's really what happened, then she didn't just recognize you, Speedy. From my end it sounds like you were busy watching her, and that you gave yourself away. I'm not trying to act like your mother and scold you, but that was a reckless and stupid move! She has your whole identity now!"

"How could you let this happen?!" Aqualad exclaims from his spot on the floor. "I know that you have your heart set on Leila joining the Titans, but letting her know your real identity is going way too far! Does she know that your name is Roy now, too?!"

Speedy falls silent, finding himself unable to respond to his teammates' very valid points. He knew that he should have seen this coming. Yet, in spite of their anger, Speedy isn't upset with them. Admittedly, standing in the same aisle as Leila and happily assuming that she wouldn't recognize him was a stupid move. Then again, this doesn't mean that stupid moves don't have benefits.

Taking a deep breath, Speedy replies to them at last. "Alright, fine. I'll admit that what I did was stupid. I was overconfident, and I thought that Leila would never recognize me in a million years. If I had run into anyone other than Leila and made that mistake, I would be absolutely screwed." After a short pause, he adds, "The thing is, I don't think that letting her meet  _'Roy'_  is a bad thing. She got to see me as a different person from Speedy, and she's probably a step closer to joining us because of it. Leila _does_  want to join the Titans. She just needed an extra push."

After this the room falls silent yet again, the rest of the Titans digesting his words. It takes several long moments, but eventually someone speaks. This someone would be Beast Boy.

"I don't know if I'm jumping to conclusions here, but by the way you're talking, it sounds like you did more than just run into her at the store. Did you ditch the old lady and go on a date or something? Bee and Aqualad did say that you were three hours late getting back."

Rubbing his neck awkwardly at the question, Speedy replies honestly. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a  _date_. Mrs. Tucker's car broke down, the tow truck driver wouldn't give them a ride, and her son was out of town, so I drove them back to Mrs. Tucker's house. Leila knew who I was anyway, so it wasn't any use hiding anything." Pausing momentarily, he adds, "Mrs. Tucker actually wanted Leila to stay with me, so we got some tacos and went out to my dock to talk, but I still wouldn't call it a date. It was a couple of friends having a serious discussion about the Titans more than anything."

By this point it's apparent that they believe him about running into Leila, because flickers of understanding can be seen crossing their gazes. The first to respond to his explanation is Bee.

"Well, that would explain why you're so late getting back. Driving all over town, and then taking Leila all the way out to your dock must've been time consuming." Hesitating for a long period of time, she adds sheepishly, "Sorry we thought you were out goofing off."

Smiling, Speedy gives a nod of forgiveness. "Hey, don't worry about it. There's no way you could've known what I was doing."

In the meantime, Aqualad asks a question with a raised brow. "Did you really bring her to your dock? You never let anybody go there with you. Didn't you specifically say never to follow you there because it's your thinking place or something?"

All of the sudden, Speedy wishes that he hadn't mentioned bringing Leila to his dock. Sure his teammates have been to his dock once or twice, but most often he goes by himself when he needs to think. His dock serves as a type of sanctuary for the archer, so he doesn't often let people go there with him. Admittedly, he did take a girl there on a date about five months ago, but she thought it was boring, she called him boring, she complained the entire time they were there, and then she demanded that he take her home. He hasn't gone on another date since then, either.

It takes a moment, but at last Speedy answers his aquatic teammate's question. "Yeah I took her to my dock, but I didn't have much of a choice, either. What was I supposed to do? Talk to her about being a Titan and about Black Shadow in a parking lot filled with people?"

Aqualad nods in understanding at his explanation. "Okay. Fair point."

Meanwhile, Cyborg adds his input as well. "Alright, so you ran into her at the hardware store, drove a stranded elderly lady home, and had a taco date on a dock. Now what? Is this girl really any closer to showing up around here begging to join?"

Putting a finger to his chin, Speedy considers the metal man's question before responding. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. Knowing Leila, she isn't going to be on her knees at our doorstep begging to join the Titans anytime soon, but this doesn't matter too much. The point is that I made some progress."

* * *

The Next Day

If there's one thing Damiana hates, it's finishing her dog walking jobs early. All of her dog walking jobs are located in a part of town faraway from her motel room, so she doesn't have time to return there before her next job starts. Yet, if she finishes early, she can't go to her next job either due to the earliness of the hour. Because of this, the girl is normally forced to spend anywhere from ten to thirty minutes wandering aimlessly until it is late enough for her to go to her next job.

Today her first dog walking job took half the time that it usually does, mostly because she had only one dog to walk instead three. Sadly for the poor beasts, two of them were at the vet getting neutered. So, due to the short amount of time it took, Damiana finished her job forty-five minutes early. Under most circumstances she would walk back to her motel room and watch the morning news until she has to leave for her next job, but reaching her motel room from this part of town takes almost a half hour. If she took time to walk back and forth to her motel room, she would be very late for her next job.

Because of this, rather than heading back to her motel room, Damiana wanders this section of town without a goal and without a destination. Today she wears her dark blue sweatshirt, her pair of jeans that contains the most holes, her same black converse sneakers that are falling apart, and she carries a black bag that is slung over her shoulder. Most often the girl doesn't carry the black bag with her, but due to the inconvenience that her dog walking jobs normally provide, the girl always carries it with her in the mornings.

Normally the contents of her black bag are kept at the bottom of a dresser drawer buried by bottles of brown hair dye, her extra pairs of contact lenses, and the jeans and sweatshirt that she isn't wearing that day. Of course, considering how the time is only six forty-five in the morning and how hardly anybody is outside, Damiana always makes an exception for this time of day. Nobody is ever around to see the contents of the bag when she removes them, and if somebody is around they tend to ignore her and go about their business. It is because of this that, even if Damiana knows that she shouldn't let the items leave the privacy of her motel room, she brings them with her anyway.

After several minutes of wandering, the girl finds herself sitting against a tree in one of Steel City's scant few parks. It is a large oak tree that is located halfway between a small pond inhabited by ducks and a sidewalk where there isn't a soul in sight. A few minutes ago a spry man in his early sixties was seen jogging by, but besides him, Damiana hasn't seen one other person. Not to mention that the single person she did see didn't even glance at her. Therefore, revealing the contents of her black bag doesn't make Damiana even a little bit nervous.

Leaning against the tree leisurely, Damiana shoves a brown ringlet behind her ear and unzips her bag. Taking one last glimpse at her surroundings just to make sure that nobody's around, the girl reaches in and pulls out a single object. It isn't much. To the rare people who are crazy enough to be walking through the park this early, it would look like nothing more than a book. To Damiana, however, it is much more than a book. For the young alien, it is one of her last pieces of Dabnod.

Gazing at the book with a mixture of sadness and nostalgia, she traces the pattern on the cover. The material making up the front of the book feels like velvet under her forefinger. In reality, it isn't velvet, though. As soft as the cover's fabric is, it is actually closer to the equivalent of leather due to the material's hardiness. The main color of the cover is black, but it isn't dull like ash or coal. Rather, the fabric is shiny like obsidian.

Overlaying the front of the book's shiny blackness are intricate designs of gold. When observed plainly, the designs look like intricate swirls and zigzags that don't form any particular pattern. Upon tilting it at a certain angle, however, the meaningless lines come together to form a fire phoenix with outstretched wings flying out from a torrent of flames. Outlining the lines making up the fire phoenix is a sequence of small, yellow, gems, which also appear randomly placed until they're observed from that special angle.

Out of all the books that Damiana owned back on Dabnod, both in the Dabnodian language and in other languages, this book was always her most treasured possession. She received this book much later than most of her others. In fact, Damiana never received it until a few months before Dabnod's destruction on her eleventh birthday. Of course, in spite of the years that have passed, Damiana can remember the day she got this book so clearly that it feels like yesterday.

**_*Flashback*_ **

Like usual, their little cabin at the top of the purple hill was empty that day. Mama was at the Palace working hard as one of Queen Guayusa's servants. Saeran wasn't just at knight training, but was actually gone on a week-long training mission with Master Urrvink, Adriel, and the rest of his unit of squires. Whenever the house was empty Damiana was generally able to deal with it. Throughout her entire childhood, she had actually been alone quite a lot. Being a child prodigy from the Fire Phoenix clan who knew enough Master's Level techniques to burn down entire villages, the other children tended to avoid her.

Of course, on this particular day, being alone bothered her greatly. Queen Guayusa was holding a large banquet at the end of the week, and because of this, all of the palace servants had to work overtime. Three days had passed, and Damiana hardly saw her mother for fifteen minutes that entire time. Not only that, but four days had passed since Saeran had gone on his training mission with Adriel.

Without Mama and Saeran around, as well as missing her older brother's friend who often spent time at their cabin, Damiana was growing terribly lonely. Adriel's younger sister with whom she got along well, Jaegana, had stopped by earlier in the day to say hello, but the girl had chores waiting for her at home. Because of this, Jaegana didn't have much time to visit and ended up leaving quickly.

Nonetheless, as always, Damiana did her best to push away the feeling of loneliness. Sometimes she pushed it away by reading one of her many books, sometimes she coped by learning new languages or new fire-wielding techniques, and other times the girl would do chores. That was how she coped that day was doing chores. Sadly, her usual coping mechanism still wasn't enough to get her through. Why? Because on this day, she wasn't just alone. She was alone on her birthday.

The girl remembers wearing her plain, dark green, house-dress that evening. It wasn't pretty like her royal blue gown, but was instead knee-length, short-sleeved, made out of rough material, and was fit for working in. Her hair, which was dark gray mixed with bruise-colored purple at the time, was tied into a bun and out of her face. The whole time the girl was on her hands and knees scrubbing at the floor, a rag in her hands and a bucket of soapy water sitting next to her.

She'd actually just mopped the floor yesterday, and without Saeran and Adriel tracking in dirt, it really didn't need to be mopped again. Of course, the girl didn't care. All she cared about was having a way to distract herself. With reading, practicing other languages, and using new fire techniques growing old, she decided to mop the already clean stone floor. As she did this, the girl silently wept in misery.

"Of course," she'd whispered to herself. "Mama's at the Palace and Saeran is with his Knight friends, while I'm stuck here all alone. What use is being the Fire Phoenix clan's greatest prodigy if I'm always stuck on this stupid hill by myself?"

Standing up, grabbing the bucket, and moving to mop another part of the floor, she continued speaking to the walls around her. "Why can't it be my twelfth birthday instead of my eleventh? If I was turning twelve, I would be getting my arm cuff with the fire phoenix, and I would join Mama and Saeran as members of the clan. I would be able to start my Scribe training at the Palace, and I wouldn't be by myself! Why can't I be twelve instead of eleven?!"

Before Damiana could kneel down on the floor and continue her mopping, she ran an angered hand through her hair and kicked over the bucket in a fit of rage. Following this she breathed a long stream of fire out of her mouth, evaporating the water off of the floor, but burning nothing. In truth, nothing in her childhood home burned easily. It was built by the Fire Phoenix clan, after all…

Meanwhile, a voice sounded off from behind her. It wasn't startled or upset at the young girl's display, but rather, the voice was kind and compassionate.

"Don't rush time by, Damiana. You'll turn twelve and get your arm cuff soon enough. For now, enjoy being eleven. Childhood is a precious thing."

Surprised at the voice, the eleven-year-old whipped around. Standing in the doorway gazing at her daughter with a kind smile was none other than Damiana's mother. Her hair was a bit disheveled and her clothes wrinkled from a long day of working, but nonetheless, the woman still smiled. That is what Damiana loved about her mother the most was that, no matter what, she always smiled.

In the meantime, gaping at the woman, Damiana bent over and rushed to pick up the bucket she'd kicked during her time of anger. "Mama! You're home! I'm sorry for shouting! I—"

Her smile never fading, the woman immediately cut Damiana off. "Don't worry about it, Dami. You're not in trouble. Nobody should have to be alone on their birthday. To be honest, if I was stuck here all by myself for days on end, I would be reacting the same way."

Pushing a strand of hair out of her face, which was now back to its normal shade of strawberry red, Damiana returned her mother's smile and approached her. Closing the door behind her, the woman stepped the rest of the way into the house and met her daughter halfway. The mother and daughter embraced each other in a joyful hug a moment later, Mama's hair turning a happy shade of rose red.

As soon as the embrace broke, Damiana spoke. "But, Mama, what are you doing home? You're not supposed to be back from your job at the Palace for another four hours."

Smile brightening, Damiana's mother reached a hand toward her shoulder to remove a simple, brown, bag. It was a bag that she took with her to the Palace every day to carry food and reading material for her lunch period. While removing the bag, she replied to her daughter's inquiry.

"True, but I found a moment to talk to Queen Guayusa, and she let me come home early today. Not only that, but I've spent the past few days pulling strings with Royal Counsel and the clan elders so I could get you your birthday present." Digging through her bag, she continued. "This is a very special present I got for you, so make sure that you treasure it. Happy birthday, Damiana."

Less than a second after she spoke she pulled the book out of her bag; the book with the obsidian-colored cover, the yellow gems, and the beautiful golden swirls. The instant the girl laid eyes on it, Damiana gasped in shock and her hair shifted to bright green.

"M-Mama! T-that's the P-Phoenix Index! It contains the entire history of our clan! Without permission from the Royal Counsel and the clan elders, we aren't even allowed to touch it!" After an awed pause, she added. "I thought the elders locked it away in the Palace Archives after the Phoenix Index's previous owner died! How did you get it?!"

"How do you think?" asked her mother. "I've spent three days straight talking to the Royal Counsel and the clan elders. It was an exhausting process, but I finally got permission for the Phoenix Index to be passed to you. As the Fire Phoenix clan's greatest prodigy, they've entrusted you with the book's safety."

Her eyes wide, Damiana stammered in shock yet again. "But Mama, you have to be j-joking! That book is the _Phoenix Index_! It contains three thousand years of the Fire Phoenix clan's history, and I haven't even been initiated into the clan yet! Why would they trust me with that?!"

Placing a loving hand on her daughter's shoulder, the woman smiled once more. "The real question, Damiana, is why  _wouldn't_ they trust you with it? You're the greatest prodigy that our clan has seen in generations. Even if you're not part of the clan yet, you're going to be soon. And when you are, there's no doubt that you'll be the clan member that makes our elders the proudest." Hesitating, she added with hopeful eyes, "Who knows? One day, you could be Dabnod's next Great Queen."

With that being said, Damiana's mother took the book and shoved it into her arms. Even as she held it, the eleven-year-old still couldn't process that the Phoenix Index  _belonged_  to her! Looking at the book and then at her mother, Damiana tried to shove it back in her arms.

"Mama, it was very nice of you to get me the Phoenix Index for a birthday present, but you didn't have to. Maybe you should ask the Counsel to put it back in the archives, and to get it back to me after I turn twelve. If I'm going to have the responsibility of being the owner of this kind of book, then I really think that I should be a member of the clan first."

Her mother didn't take the book when Damiana tried shoving it back into her grasp. Instead she merely shoved it back at Damiana, giving soft and airy chuckles the whole time.

"Oh, Dami. Don't you get it? The Phoenix Index is more than just a book! You need to open your mind! Look at the Phoenix Index from a different angle, and you'll see things that you never saw before!" Pausing, she added with a mysterious glint in her eyes, "If you look at it from a different angle, you might see next year's birthday present there, too."

**_*End Flashback*_ **

The memory of the day vanishing from her mind, Damiana looks at the book once more. Even now, after five years, Damiana still can't believe that her mother gave her the  _Phoenix Index_  for her eleventh birthday. The very thought of it still astounds her beyond belief! Who gives an ancient book with every ounce of history all the way back to the founding of their clan to an eleven-year-old girl?! Sure if her mother had taken it back to the Palace Archives like she asked the book would have been destroyed with Dabnod never to be seen again, but still…

Scratching her head and arching her brow, Damiana tilts her head to the side and stares at it. Not only is she still in disbelief that she has the Phoenix Index, but the girl is still confused about what her mother told her about "opening her mind" and looking at the book differently. In the end, Damiana still doesn't see anything other than a book. She has no idea what she meant about "next year's birthday present" either. Maybe Mama was teasing her? She did have a habit of doing that.

Meanwhile, as Damiana is sitting under the tree observing the ancient Dabnodian artifact, there is a woman in her middle fifties walking by on the sidewalk. She wears a pink tracksuit, she hums a happy tune, and she is walking a large golden retriever. The whole time Damiana doesn't notice the woman, neither does the woman notice Damiana. However, even if the duo of two-legged beings doesn't notice each other, the same can't be said for the golden retriever. As they walk by, the dog actually stops to stare at the Dabnodian girl with interest.

When the dog stops out of nowhere, the woman looks at the animal in disgust and begins tugging on its leash. "Daisy, what's wrong with you? You just went potty back at the duck pond!" Giving the leash another tug, she commands, "Come on, now. You be a good dog, and come with Mama."

The golden retriever doesn't listen in the slightest. Instead, it starts pulling the leash in the opposite direction. This only causes the woman to tug on the leash harder.

"Daisy, you be a good dog and come with Mama right now! You're being naughty!"

Again, Daisy doesn't listen. The dog continues trying to pull away from its owner. The whole time its owner tugs on its leash harshly, grumbling at the dog the whole time. Eventually one of them wins the battle, but unfortunately it isn't the woman in the pink track suit. All it takes are a few seconds for the golden retriever to break off of its leash and to start sprinting straight for Damiana.

Damiana doesn't hear the squabble between the woman and her dog, neither does she hear the paws that clatter across the grass once the animal breaks free. The whole time she simply stares at her book deeply in thought. However, once the dog leaps on top of her with a paw on each shoulder, knocks her down so that she's on her back, and begins licking her face, the dog comes to the Dabnodian girl's attention immediately.

In the space of three seconds Damiana ends up lying on the grass trying to push the large animal off of her. During the ordeal, the Phoenix Index was flung approximately five feet away from her. The Dabnodian girl doesn't notice this, though. Neither does she notice as the startled middle aged woman rushes across the grass in her direction. The only thing she notices is the dirt-covered paws on her sweatshirt and the slobbery tongue licking her face.

Squirming in discomfort she grumbles to the dog. "Okay, I get it! You like me! I look appealing in my hole-covered jeans and old sweatshirt! Now please get off of me!"

Sadly, the dog doesn't listen to her. The only time it moves at all is when its owner draws near and calls for it. Even then the dog leaves Damiana reluctantly.

"Daisy, come here, girl! Come on! You get off of her, and leave her alone!"

Several seconds pass, but eventually the golden retriever gets off of Damiana and runs back to the woman wearing the pink tracksuit. Once the animal is off of her, Damiana sighs in relief before wiping the slobber off of her face and the dirt off of her shirt. As the girl works her way to her feet, the woman apologizes to her in the sincerest of fashions.

"I am  _so_  sorry! Usually Daisy doesn't do this. I don't know what's gotten into her this morning!"

Damiana wipes the remaining drool off of her face as she replies to the woman. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I guess Daisy's just energetic in the mornings, huh?"

Giving a pleasant laugh, the woman nods. "Oh, yes! Daisy's very energetic in the mornings! It's her favorite time of day! She never runs up and jumps on people, though. I'm sorry about that again."

Opening her mouth partway, Damiana is prepared to tell the woman again not to worry about it. However, when the girl spots the Phoenix Index right in front of the dog owner's feet, she freezes. All it takes is an instant for the lady to notice it. Gazing down at the object with a nervous gaze, she steps a few inches away and pulls Daisy to the side.

"Oh, and I hope that Daisy didn't do anything to hurt your pretty box! You probably have a lot of nice little trinkets in there!"

Upon hearing the woman's words, Damiana unfreezes and looks at her in a mixture of curiosity and confusion. Initially her greatest fear was having the lady spot the Phoenix Index, and place it as a foreign object that isn't of Earth. However, upon hearing her "box" remark, all of her fears immediately vanish. Moving a few steps closer, Damiana inquires about her comment.

"Box? What do you mean it's a box?"

This time it is the woman who stares at Damiana in confusion. "Well it is a box, isn't it? Those little yellow gemstones almost look like they're attached to a handle."Giving another laugh, she adds, "Oh, who knows? I'm probably just some crazy old woman! Before I thought the gemstones were part of a handle, I was thinking that those pretty gold lines looked like tracks. If you try shoving the gemstones down them, it almost looks like they can be rearranged!"

Curiosity growing, Damiana walks over beside the woman and stares at the book from where she's standing. From the angle she was previously standing at, the Phoenix Index looked as it always had; like an ancient book containing the entire history of the Fire Phoenix clan. From this woman's angle, however, it becomes apparent that she isn't crazy in the slightest. From her angle, the Phoenix Index truly doesn't have the appearance of a book. Now that Damiana is seeing it from her angle, it looks like a black-painted jewelry box with a golden handle covered by gems. With the additional swirls and zigzags surrounding it, it really does look like the gems can be moved, too.

Damiana stares at it for several minutes before the reality of what the woman said hits her like a bolt. All of the sudden Damiana feels like the biggest Dabnodian fool to ever breathe. She has had the Phoenix Index constantly by her side for the past five years, and she never once saw what the lady in the pink tracksuit is able to see. When her mother told her to view the book from "a different angle" and to "open her mind", she'd always assumed that she was speaking metaphorically. Now it's becoming apparent that this wasn't at all the case.

Turning to face her, Damiana is fully prepared to thank the woman for the large amount of insight that she just gave her. Before she has the chance, however, a squirrel rushes past them on the nearby sidewalk. When this happens, Daisy takes off again in a full sprint while barking viciously. Placing a palm to her forehead, the lady sighs.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but it looks like I have to go. You have a nice day."

With that being said the lady rushes off after her golden retriever and quickly disappears down the sidewalk. It is only once Damiana is alone again that she takes the Phoenix Index back under the tree with her and takes a seat. The whole time she holds it at the same angle that the woman saw it from so that it appears like a jewelry box instead of a book. Kneeling and placing it on the grass in front of her, Damiana gazes at it with a furrowed brow.

"A box, huh? Well, then, let's see what's inside." In a whisper, she adds, "Forgive me, Mama. It seems that I'm opening my twelfth birthday present over four years late."

Once that is said, Damiana reaches out a forefinger and cautiously pushes at one of the yellow gemstones. Certainly enough, exactly like the woman had stated, it moves along the golden line like it's a track. After it gets halfway up the line, however, the gem stops moving completely. Damiana isn't alarmed by this, but rather, she assumes that her ancestors designed it this way. With this thought in mind, she shoves the other gemstones down the golden lines that are nearest to them. Like the first gemstone, they stop and are no longer able to move past a fixed point.

Damiana spends several minutes doing this. There are many gemstones, and the tracks are narrow rather than wide, so she has to use careful precision to avoid breaking anything. It takes a while, but by the time she's finished rearranging the gemstones, she learns that the results are worth it. The instant the last gemstone is put in place the shape of a flawless diamond has been formed. Much to her surprise, the diamond pops up so it has the appearance of a button or a knob of some sort. The very sight of this causes her to raise a brow.

"This is strange," she whispers aloud in English. "Do I push it or turn it?"

After a long time of consideration, the girl eventually decides to turn it. She does so with careful and adept fingers, taking caution not to break it in case it isn't supposed to turn. However, the diamond-shaped knob turns easily almost as if it was waiting to be turned. Originally the diamond was at a horizontal angle, but by the time Damiana is finished, it has been placed vertically. She would have turned it farther, but much like the gemstones on the track, it stopped moving after a certain point.

Once the diamond has been placed vertically and once she can turn it no more, an echoing  _click_  is heard. Less than a second after the  _click_ , an entire other section of the book pops up and the cover flies open. Only, it is no longer a book cover, but the lid of a jewelry box. Inside the jewelry box, to Damiana's greatest shock, is an object that she never thought she would be able to see. Much like Mama, Saeran, the Dabnodian Palace, and their little house on the hill, she thought that it was gone forever on the night that Dabnod was destroyed. Apparently she was wrong, though, because here it is right in front of her.

Inside the jewelry box, sitting amongst what appears to be ancient scrolls from the Dabnodian Palace's archives, is a golden cuff. Ignoring the scrolls, Damiana reaches in slowly and removes the metal cuff in a hesitant fashion. Even as she removes it, she can hardly believe that the object is real. However, one she holds it in her hand only a few inches away from her face, there's no denying it. The object she's holding is a golden cuff that is meant to go around a woman's upper arm. Welded into the cuff in copper-colored metal, much to her tear-filled joy, is a majestic fire phoenix with outstretched wings.

For the first time in years, Damiana allows herself to cry. For once the fates have actually been kind to her. Even after the destruction of Dabnod, they're still allowing her to receive her mother's last birthday present to her. Not only that, but attached to her arm cuff is a piece of paper with writing on it. The writing, of course, is written in the Dabnodian language. The sight of Dabnodian script alone makes her happy, but what makes her happier is that there are two separate lines. Based on the handwriting, one line of script was written by her mother, and the other was written by Saeran.

The one by Saeran is a simple, happy, message exactly as Saeran would have written it:  _"Happy birthday, little sister. You're a member of the clan now. Wear our symbol proudly."_

The one by her mother is also happy, but for some reason, her's is the one that brings additional tears to Damiana's eyes:  _"Happy birthday, Dami. There has never been a mother more proud of her child than me. I hope that you wear the fire phoenix every single day for the rest of your life. You're going to grow up to be an incredible woman someday, and when you do, I want you to look at our clan symbol and remember where you came from."_

Damiana reads her late family members' messages through tear-filled eyes. Never did she think that the fates would be so kind to her. After placing the note back inside of the box, Damiana finds herself taking off her sweatshirt and revealing the plain black tank-top that she wears underneath. After wiping away her tears, she takes the cold metal arm cuff and slides it onto her right upper arm. It fits her perfectly.


	14. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Fourteen

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, but the Dabnodian race is my own invention._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Fourteen**

Most of the time Speedy doesn't have dreams, and if he does, he usually doesn't remember them. On some nights, however, Speedy has dreams that are so haunting that they stick with him for several days afterward. These kinds of dreams don't happen too often. At the most they happen once a month, and at the least they happen once every three months. Of course, during those rare times when these dreams do occur, they're nothing but misery to Speedy. The worst part about them is that he never wakes up while he's having them. Not because he can't, but because he chooses not to; he deserves every ounce of torture they put him through.

Tossing and turning beneath the covers, Speedy doesn't see himself in his bedroom, in Titans Tower, or even in Steel City. Instead he sees himself on the United State's opposite coast, in Star City. It has been five years since Speedy has been anywhere near Star City, or the childhood home where he spent time as Green Arrow's ward. He left when he was twelve years old, and he hasn't looked back since then. He used the money he'd earned to buy a ticket, and he hopped on the first bus out of there.

Yet, even if he hasn't looked back, Speedy has to force the thoughts of his last night in Star City out of his head every day. That wasn't just his last night in Star City, but it was the last night he ever spoke to Green Arrow. A day doesn't go by when the memories don't haunt him. And when too many days of pushing the unforgettable memories aside go by, that is when the thoughts manifest themselves into his dreams and denies him sleep. Unfortunately, tonight is one of these difficult nights.

A voice that will always linger in his thoughts, a voice that he hasn't spoken to in over five years now, is the voice that takes him back. Surrounding him are the ornamented walls, high ceilings, and massive staircase of a mansion large beyond belief. This isn't just any mansion, but the mansion that he slept, ate, and trained in. Also, this was where he was granted the hero name "Speedy". Before that night, the memories of living in Green Arrow's mansion were good ones. Sadly, all it took was one stupid mistake to undo every good memory of the place. It is a mistake that Green Arrow will never forgive him for.

"I want you out of here, Roy.  _Now._  Get out, or I'll have the police forcibly remove you."

Speedy leaned against the cherry wood railing of the mansion's grand staircase, halfway up the flight of stairs and halfway down. He didn't lean against the railing to look defiant, but for support. In that moment he felt very unsteady on his feet, like he was going to tumble face first down the stairs. Along with that he felt nauseous, like he could keel over the railing and let go of his lunch at any moment. Through all of this, he could never remember feeling so tired.

Yet, despite how he was feeling, he was still able to turn up the stairs to see the bearded face, firm stance, and livid gaze of Green Arrow. His arms were crossed over his chest sternly, and he gave Speedy a glare so sharp that it could have taken down armies. Speedy didn't let this get to him though. Bracing his twelve-year-old frame against the railing, he gagged slightly as he attempted to force back the nausea, and then he glared at him with bags beneath his emerald eyes.

"You can't call the police on me! You wouldn't! Even if you did, it wouldn't be fair. I never stole anything from you, you senile old bag!"

Green Arrows eyes widened and his glare deepened as though he'd just cursed at him. His jaw locked, he marched his six-foot frame down the stairs to meet him. Speedy was terrified and he wanted to run away, but he couldn't. If he would have attempted it, there's no doubt that he would have fallen all the way down the stairs. It was because of this that he allowed the blonde-haired man to approach him and yank him up to his eye-level by the collar.

"If you didn't steal anything from me, then why is four-hundred dollars missing from the downstairs vault? Nobody knows the combination to it besides you, me, and Black Canary. Black Canary was with me in Gotham while we were helping Batman with the Joker and Harley, so neither of us took it. Not to mention that it would be pretty convenient for you with your most recent habit."

Despite the fact that his feet were several inches off the ground and that his nausea was growing worse, Speedy persisted in glaring at him. "All you've done is yell at me since you got back! At least Canary wants to help me! You just want me to go die in a gutter!"

Sighing, Arrow released the collar of his shirt and placed him back on the ground. Nonetheless, his posture and the look in his gaze still remained lethal.

"You know, Roy, I don't see why I  _should_  help you. I was only gone for three weeks, and in that short amount of time you turn into a drug addicted thief who's willing to go as far as stealing money from me. I've given you everything, and this is what you do?! Hang out with your friends, get drugged up, and party yourself into the grave?!"

Losing his balance momentarily, Speedy tumbled down a stair or two before catching himself on the railing once again. No longer able to hold himself together, he leaned over the side and vomited all over the golden tiles below. The whole time Green Arrow glared at him, his expression of anger and disgust worsening. Meanwhile, once he'd finished emptying his guts out onto the floor, he turned around to look at the man.

"I wasn't out partying the whole time you were in Gotham. I only went to  _one_  party. My friends invited me, so I went. What was I supposed to do? Stay home and look like a loser?"

Green Arrow placed an aggravated palm to his forehead. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Roy? You're a mess. This is what  _one party_  has done to you! You can't possibly tell me that turning yourself into a heroin-addicted nightmare is worth looking good in front of your friends!"

Speedy never told him this, nor has he told this to anyone, but that party was actually the worst night of his life next to this one. He went as Roy instead of Speedy, and he was one twelve-year-old in a mix of fourteen to sixteen-year-olds. His twelve-year-old friends who said they were going never showed up. By the end of the night he'd had his head dunked into a punch bowl, and he'd almost drowned in somebody's swimming pool. The only time he actually had fun at that party was when one person who was being "kind" to him offered him a needle filled with heroin. The rush was certainly fun, and the teenagers there even seemed to like him, but the fun ended very quickly…

Of course, being stubborn like he was, he didn't even hint at this to Green Arrow. Instead he lied through his teeth.

"You have no idea what you're talking about! I was right when I called you a senile old bag! That party was great, and I'm glad that I went! It was completely worth it! The consequences are always worth it as long as you're having fun! If you're not having fun, then what's the fricken point?"

For the first time that night, Green Arrow didn't look angry. The emotion Speedy saw in his eyes, an emotion that still hurts him to this very day, was disappointment. In that moment Speedy realized that he would've rather had Green Arrow yell at him in anger than be disappointed in him any day. Of course, it was too late to take back what he said. He'd said it, it was out, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sighing deeply, the blonde-haired man with the beard asked a question in a fashion that almost sounded sad. "Roy, I'm going to ask this one more time. At any time during the three weeks I was gone, did you take anything out of the vault downstairs? Anything at all?"

This time Speedy replied honestly. Of course, honesty doesn't always mean a lack of hostility.

"Okay, fine. You want to know the truth? I took your money! I went down there, put in the combination, and took it! I'm not sorry about it, either! Why? Because the dealer gave me what I asked for! Stealing your money was worth it too! If I could, I would steal more of it! As long as that guy keeps giving me my heroin, I don't care!"

A long moment of silence went by. The instant those words left his mouth, he regretted it. He still regrets it. One secret that Speedy keeps buried away deeply inside of his heart, the secret besides the drug addiction that he recovered from, is that he regrets every single thing he did that night. If he could turn back time, he would take back everything. Of course, a person can't turn back time like they can turn back the hands of a face clock. Once something happens it is set in stone and can never be undone. Much like this cold, stormy, night in Star City five years ago.

"Get out of my house, Roy. I mean it. I want you out of here. I'm not calling the police, but I do want you gone. There's no way for me to trust you knowing that you can steal from me so easily."

All of the sudden, in spite of the fact that he was unbelievably tired and that he was again feeling the need to vomit, he found that he was able to walk down the stairs without falling. He doesn't know if it was rage that fueled his steps or just the stubbornness of a preteen, but still he walked. As he did this, he spoke to Green Arrow without looking at him.

"You want me out of here? Fine. I'm getting out. Don't come looking for me either, because you won't find me. I'm leaving this dumb city behind, and I'm never coming back."

With that being said, he walked out the door of Green Arrow's mansion and left Star City behind. He didn't leave right away, though. The first thing he did was track down his dealer, and he spent the rest of the money he stole on heroin. Following this, he managed to panhandle enough money to get a ticket for a bus leaving the city. He doesn't know what bus he got on, or what city he went to. All he knows is that he woke up the next morning on a random sidewalk with aching bones, vomiting up stomach acid, and feeling like he could sleep forever.

Even then he didn't remember the process of how he ended up there. As hard as he tries, he still can't remember. Most of his twelfth year is a blur to him, really, as well bits and pieces of his thirteenth. Of course, this doesn't bother him too much. Speedy is certain that he doesn't want to recall the details.

His eyes still closed, Speedy continues tossing and turning under his covers. He wants to wake up, but he knows that he can't let himself. With as much as he screwed up on that night, he doesn't deserve to forget about it. Of course, much to his luck, the loud blaring of an alarm awakens him from his slumber. It isn't a fire alarm or the intruder alarm, so he knows that nothing bad is happening to their Tower. Rather, it is the crime alarm.

Bloodshot emerald eyes popping open, Speedy sits up with limbs entangled in his maroon covers. As he struggles to kick them away, he looks at the digital alarm clock sitting on his bedside table which reads seven-fifteen AM. Most of the time he grumbles when he has to wake up early to stop crime, but not this time. The moment he stumbles out of his bed, he begins pulling his maroon pants on over his boxers. He also begins adorning himself with his maroon tanktop, yellow belt, yellow boots, and his mask, putting all of his clothes on in an incredibly swift fashion.

Apparently he isn't that swift, though, because knocking is heard on the other side of the door a few seconds later. When it is a Spanish-speaking voice that is heard, he is instantly able to guess that it is either Mas or Menos that has come to check on him.

"¡Vamos, Señor Buen Pelo! ¡Tenemos que irnos!"

Adjusting his belt, he replies to what he thinks he's saying through the door. "Don't worry, I'm not sleeping! I'm awake and dressed!"

With that being said he rushes out the door to greet them, ready to take on whatever criminal that the Titans are going to have to face.

* * *

On a regular basis, Damiana doesn't have much luck with her dog walking jobs. Of course, today it looks like her luck is worse than usual. Not only did she get out of her previous job forty-five minutes early, but the next person she works for cancelled completely. Because of this, she has to wander this part of the city for a whole other hour until her third and final dog walking job. Thankfully the people she cleans houses and babysits for are far more dependable. Otherwise the girl is certain that she would be driven crazy by how often she has to walk all over town for nothing.

Yet, today Damiana doesn't mind so much. If it wasn't for the inconsistencies with her schedule, then she never would have found her arm band. On any day before this one, Damiana would be walking down the sidewalk in irritation at the fact that she has been swindled out of sleep and money because of such uncaring people. Right, however, this isn't the case. The feel of cold metal encircling her right upper arm is all it takes to make her smile in spite of her dilemma. The metallic band, though it is currently hidden by her dark blue sweatshirt, makes the alien girl feel empowered.

Smiling like a fool, Damiana rounds a random corner and makes her way down yet another street. By this point she is getting very far away from the next person she works for. She is no longer surrounded by houses, apartment complexes, and the park. Instead buildings such as shops, museums, a more ornate park, and a large mall with a fountain are what surrounds her. Coming out of the residential area for the wealthy and entering into an area meant for leisure and tourism, (if Steel City ever got any tourists, anyway), Damiana is aware that she needs to turn around soon. She will never be able to make it to her third job on time otherwise.

Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, at a spot between a coffee shop and a boutique, the alien girl considers turning around right here and right now. It would certainly be disappointing to start back now, though. The girl really does like this part of town. Especially the museums! She went to the history museum with Mrs. Tucker once, and it was very fascinating. Seeing actual artifacts is much better than reading about them in dusty old books from the library which she sometimes rents…

Speaking of the history museum, something very attention grasping and very unexpected happens as she stands there silently contemplating on the sidewalk. From the direction of the history museum comes a loud  **BOOM** , followed by a large puff of black smoke that rises into the sky. This causes not only Damiana to look in the direction of the museum hidden by buildings, but many of the people around her who are out for an early morning outing look as well. Upon gazing up at the scene, startled gasps are heard along with screams.

Knowing that whatever is happening isn't good and that either the police or the Titans will handle it, those surrounding Damiana scurry in the museum's opposite direction hurriedly. Damiana, on the other hand, doesn't do this. Curious about what's happening, as well as feeling caught off guard, Damiana goes over to the crosswalk, crosses the street, and heads in the museum's direction. Rather than taking the sidewalk once she reaches the street's other side, Damiana immediately dashes down the nearest alleyway in attempt to quicken the trip.

As she does this, a large beefy man shouts at her. "Hey, little lady, aren't people supposed to run  _away_  from explosions?! What the heck's the matter with you?!"

Though she hears him, the man's words don't get through to her even a little bit. The girl keeps running, the man shaking his head at her and continuing his dash in the explosion's opposite direction like the rest of Steel City's citizens. If she would have used the sidewalk, the journey to the city's history museum would have taken approximately twenty minutes. By using alleyways, however, Damiana cuts the trip down to less than ten minutes. By the time she exits the winding trail of alleyways and comes out across the street from the museum, the crisis is already in full swing.

Firetrucks and police cars are parked out in front and to the sides, firefighters and police officers surrounding the outside of the building. The section of street in front of the museum has been blocked off by roadblocks, enabling any traffic to pass through the area during this time of calamity. Of course, even if the roadblocks weren't in place, traffic wouldn't be able to pass through either way. Apparently Damiana isn't the only one who ran toward the explosion instead of away from it, because in the center of the road in front of the museum is a sizable crowd of civilian onlookers.

As Damiana leaves the sidewalk that she ended up on when exiting the alleyway, she joins the crowd that is gathered and listens as they mutter frantically.

"Don't tell me that the person who has been robbing the banks is moving up the ranks to museums now, too! Steel City is doomed!"

"Whatever they steal, I hope it isn't any of the jewels from the Ancient Egypt exhibit! Those gems are irreplaceable!"

Of course, as Damiana shoves her way more deeply into the crowd, she learns that there are also many statements that don't sound frantic.

"Wow, it's a good thing I was late for work this morning. I work at that museum, and if I had been on time, I could be in there with the other hostages!" Laughing, the person adds, "Ha! It's sucks to be you, Veronica!"

"Hey, I work there, too," says another person. Worry in his tone, he adds, "Oh no! If my supervisor dies, who's going to sign my paycheck?!"

A woman from Damiana's opposite side, who is uninvolved with the previous conversation, says, "I hope that the Titans get here soon! My makeup is on fresh, so maybe I can catch the eye of Aqualad!"

Shaking her head in disbelief at what she's hearing, Damiana shoves her way deeper into the crowd still. At this point she is doing her best to block out what everybody is saying. Even so, there is still one statement that manages to get through to her. What catches her ear isn't just the words, but also the fact that the civilian screams loudly in terror.

"Ah! On the roof! What the heck is that?!"

Looking at the people around her, Damiana sees as their gazes shift to the roof of the museum. It isn't the portion of the museum that's going up in flames that they look at, but is instead the opposite side that is completely intact. When first glancing up at the roof, Damiana is afraid of seeing an army of Black Shadow's robots, Black Shadow's henchmen, or the dark villain himself. If what she sees isn't Black Shadow, she's afraid that something is going to happen to set the rest of the building on fire. However, when she finally takes in exactly what is standing on top of the building, the alien girl gets a huge surprise. There is a guy standing up there, but he  _definitely_  isn't Black Shadow.

The man standing on the roof is tall, pot-bellied, and for some strange reason, he is wearing a large hat that looks like it was stolen from Captain Hook's cousin. It's a black, pirate-style hat, with a big, gaudy, feather the color of bright red. Along with the hat he wears a long leather jacket which, from the angle he's standing, appears to have a skull and crossbones on the back. Beneath the jacket is a plain white t-shirt with a red sash tied around his waist. Like the jacket his pants are also made out of black leather, as are his knee-length boots. On his shoulder, giving a flair to his attire, is what looks like a plastic parrot from Toys R Us.

Stroking a long, black, beard, with a hooked hand surprisingly enough, he shouts loudly to the people on the street below. "Gape in fear, land lovers! Witness my fury!"

Shrieking, one of the people from around Damiana shouts out in terror. "No! We're all doomed! It's a Viking!"

Apparently the man on top of the building hears the person's comment, because a look of offense crosses his face. Anger reflected both in his posture and in his voice, he points down at the crowd with his hook as he responds loudly.

"What did ye call me, ye scurvy knave?! I be not a Viking! Tremble in fear of Scurvy Dog!"

Much to the roof pirate's disappointment, "Scurvy Dog" as he calls himself, nobody trembles in fear even a little bit. Rather, everybody in the crowd stares at him blankly. This applies just as much to Damiana, the police officers, and the firefighters, as it does to the civilians. After a long moment of silence, a few dry coughs are heard.

Appearing more insulted than before, he glares down at the crowd with fury in his gaze while waving his hook through the air heatedly. "Ye naive bilge rats! Ye have no idea who ye're messing with! Fear me! Ye've never seen a devil more menacing than me!"

Arching a skeptical brow, Damiana stares at him every bit as blankly as everybody else. It takes a second, but at last a voice speaks from the crowd. The person speaking is young and male. As he addresses the pirate his words earn chuckles from the surrounding individuals, including Damiana.

"Wait a second, you're not a pirate! Didn't you used to be the janitor at my school?!"

Waving his hook through the air once more, he scowls. "Silence, Jason! I be not a Viking, and I be not a janitor! I am Scurvy Dog, the Titans Easts' newest foe! First I pillage this museum, and then the city!" Raising his hook high over his head, he continues. "Now tremble in fear of my grappling hook!"

 _"Scurvy Dog"_  is again met by silence and the occasional dry cough. A few seconds later, however, it becomes very apparent that he wasn't bluffing with the grappling hook statement. Amazingly enough, the hook-shaped piece of metal folds back so that it becomes part of the larger piece of metal that is strapped to his arm. The instant it is folded back, a grapple shoots out from where the hook was previously attached. Before anyone in the crowd can blink, let alone process what's happening, the grapple attaches itself to the edge of the roof, and Scurvy Dog jumps. Swinging by his grapple, and holding onto the cable with his real hand, he shouts loudly as he whooshes through the air.

"I'll plunder all of yer historical museum booty, and then I'll burn all yer timber! I'll see you in this world or the world below, ye scurvy Titans!"

With that being said, Scurvy Dog swings down to the side of the building by use of his "grappling hook", ending up directly in front of one of the museum's large picture windows. A moment later he removes his real hand from the cable attaching the grapple to his hook, and digs inside of the red sash tied around his waist. A second is all it takes for him to remove a small round object and toss it through the picture window, causing the glass to shatter and for a large cloud of smoke to pour out of the window. It doesn't take anyone long to figure out that the object he threw was a smoke bomb.

The instant the glass is shattered the villain pulls his knees up so that his face is covered and swings inside of the museum through the broken glass. Once he's inside the grapple lets loose from the roof and follows him. The whole time he does this, Scurvy Dog can be heard releasing a loud and echoing  **"ARGH!"**  in determination. Everybody gapes at the broken picture window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the pirate man through the debris. The instant the smoke clears, however, it is instantly realized that it is too late. Scurvy Dog has already vanished somewhere inside of the building.

Damiana doesn't move that whole time. Instead she stares at the building wide-eyed, unable to believe what she just witnessed. That villain definitely wasn't Black Shadow. She knows this for sure.

Meanwhile, as Damiana stares at the broken picture window in bafflement, a girl can be heard shouting from several feet behind her. She doesn't shout in fear or surprise, but in excitement. It is excitement so pure and ecstatic, that it can only be managed by a fangirl.

"Look, everybody! It's the Titans!"

* * *

Robin isn't the only member of the Titans that has a motorcycle. Mas y Menos have the ability of super speed, so they don't need vehicles for transportation. Bumblebee has wings, so she doesn't need a vehicle either. Aqualad and Speedy, on the other hand, can do neither of these things. Because of this, each of them has their own motorcycle. Aqualad's is blue and black, and Speedy's is maroon and yellow, but besides this, their motorcycles are mostly identical to that of Robin's R-Cycle.

Sitting on the back of his maroon motorcycle accented by yellow with a bold yellow "S" printed on each side, Speedy races down the road at twenty minutes past seven with his helmet in place. He would never use this terminology in front of others, but getting his motorcycle after the Titans East first formed made him absolutely giddy! The mask alone makes him feel cool, but his motorcycle, which he named "The Speed Cycle", adds to this feeling. Since getting the Speed Cycle, there has never been a time when Speedy hasn't felt like he looks awesome! Or at least that was true until today, anyway…

"This is great! Who needs a moped? I want a motorcycle now! Motorcycles are awesome!"

Speedy doesn't race down the center of the road alone, but rides adjacent with Aqualad. On the back of Speedy's motorcycle is an overly excited Beast Boy, his hands in the air in exhilaration as the Speed Cycle races toward the reported scene of a museum robbery. This is actually the first report that the Titans East have gotten of the history museum being robbed, and is a cause of concern for the masked archer. Of course, when he notices that Beast Boy isn't holding onto anything, this causes him to temporarily forget the news of the robbery and to throw a startled glance at the green Titan.

"You'd better hold onto the seat or something, Beast Boy! If you fall off, I'm not turning this thing around to come get you!"

Meanwhile, a voice responds from the motorcycle racing along beside the Speed Cycle. Amazingly, the person responding isn't Aqualad. Aqualad isn't even the person driving the motorcycle. Instead the aquatic Titan sits toward the back fender holding onto the seat for dear life with fear in his gaze. Toward the front, driving down the middle of the road eagerly while pumping a fist into the air, is Cyborg. Somehow, he doesn't even come close to recognizing Aqualad's terror. Instead he replies to the redheaded Titan in excitement.

"It doesn't matter how much you warn Beast Boy, Speedy. He won't listen, anyway. Besides, Beast Boy's right. Motorcycles are great! We never would've known that before today, though. Robin never lets us near the R-Cycle." Revving the engine, Cyborg causes the vehicle to accelerate in speed before giving a loud shout. "Booyah!"

Once that is said, Aqualad's motorcycle picks up in speed and goes zooming down the road in front of him. Before it gets too far ahead, Speedy is certain that the terror in the aquatic Titan's eyes doubles and that he holds onto the seat tighter than before. When Aqualad can be heard shouting in fear, he knows that his observations were true.

"Ahh! Why are you doing this to me?! Why couldn't you steal the Speed Cycle instead?!"

For once Speedy actually feels bad for Aqualad. Of course, he doesn't feel so bad that he doesn't laugh in amusement. If he was in Cyborg's place, there's no doubt that he would do the exact same thing. He doesn't have too much time to laugh at his friend's misfortune, though, because a moment later Beast Boys asks a question from behind him.

"I know that we're supposed to be figuring out what Black Shadow's doomsday device is supposed to do, but once we're done catching this museum robber guy, I was wondering if we could look for Leila. After hearing what you said about her, I was kind of wanting to meet her."

Surprised by this, Speedy glances back at him in surprise. "You're thinking about Leila right now? There's a crazy guy robbing the history museum!"

"I know that, and I'll help you catch him! I don't think that we should let this guy escape! I just wanted to know when we can start looking for Leila is all. You never told us what she looks like or what her powers are, and I would like to find out. Not only that, but she helped you guys out in a massive fight against Black Shadow! Whatever she's like, she must be awesome!"

Smiling at that last comment, the archer can't help but agree with him. "You're right about that. You should've seen her against those robots. The way she fights is incredible! Until meeting her, I've never met a civilian who can fight that hard or who has that much guts." Pausing, he adds, "You'd never be able to tell how strong she is by looking at her, though. Leila's tiny, her hair is long and curly, she has a pretty face and big eyes… She looks more like a doll than a superhero, but she still is one."

A moment of silence passes, but then Beast Boy chuckles. Arching an unseen brow in confusion, he wonders why this is. When Beast Boy speaks, however, Speedy immediately understands where the laughter comes from. The green boy's words almost make him blush.

"Dude, no wonder the old lady got out of the car and left you two alone. It sounds like you have a crush on her!" Following another bout of laughter, he adds, "Taking her on a taco date, saying that she looks like a doll, you  _totally_  have a crush on her!"

Clearing his throat, Speedy does his best to hide his reddening cheeks and to reply nonchalantly. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Sure I want Leila to join the Titans East, but that doesn't mean that I have a crush on her! I'm just saying that she'd make a good teammate."

Beast Boy laughs and wriggles his brow as he replies. "Sure, Speedy. Whatever you say."

Speedy would take time to respond to this final remark, but thankfully the history museum comes into view along with smoke, police cars, firetrucks, and a decent-sized crowd. He isn't entirely certain on why, but he has never been more thankful to make it to the scene of a crime in his life. At the same time, however, the masked Titan can't help but stare in shock.

When the report came in about the museum robbery, the police didn't give them a description of what the guy robbing the museum looks like. Because of this, Speedy assumed that the robbery was somehow Black Shadow related, and that it would be one of his henchmen or the man himself that they have to fight. However, as he and Beast Boy get closer, Speedy learns that this is not at all true. Whoever this criminal is, he isn't Black Shadow. Before today, the Titans have never even seen him!

Parking his bike at the side of the road behind the crowd, Speedy looks up at the museum's roof where everybody's gazes are pointed. To moment he looks up, much to his astonishment, he sees a leather-covered man with a beer belly and a black beard. On his head is a pirate-style hat with a red feather, on the back of his long leather jacket is a skull and cross bones, and on his shoulder is a plastic parrot. The whole time he swings through the air toward a large picture window using…hold on a second…is there actually a  _grapple_  coming out of his  _hook_?!

Standing at the side of the road in back of the crowd, alongside the other Titans who have already shown up, Speedy mutters under his breath. "I get it. Grappling  _'hook'_. Very clever."

Meanwhile, the pirate man shouts. "I'll plunder all of yer historical museum booty, and then I'll burn all yer timber! I'll see you in this world or the world below, ye scurvy Titans!" He tosses a smoke bomb at the picture window and disappears inside of the building as he adds an echoing, " **ARGH!** "

Once he disappears there is a long moment of silence from the Titans as well as from the crowd of civilians, the police officers, and the firefighters. The only thing that breaks the silence from the Titans' end are whispers from Beast Boy to the rest of them.

"I seriously hope that wasn't Black Shadow. If it is, then I think he's gone off the deep end."

With the amount of silence enveloping the area, it becomes apparent that Beast Boy's whispers weren't silent enough. Upon hearing him, several people in the back of the crowd turn around and take notice of them. The moment people spot them, the crowd's silence ends.

"Look everybody!" shouts a teenage girl wearing a bright pink Hollister t-shirt. "It's the Titans!"

Upon seeing them the crowd cheers loudly and separates into two sections, leaving a path for them to travel down. The Titans don't hesitate for a single instant. The moment the crowd separates they rush down the center of the path toward the museum. The whole time they go back and forth between glancing at the fire on the museum's opposite side, (that was most likely caused by the pirate cosplayer), and glimpsing at the faces in the crowd. Honestly, Speedy looks at the crowd more than he looks at the fire. He doesn't know why, but getting to see which civilians are willing to stay just to watch the Titans satisfies a type of curiosity that the archer often feels.

Eyes skimming over the crowd, Speedy doesn't spot anybody who is too interesting. He sees a man in his sixties wearing short-shorts and a tight, white, tanktop, as if he had previously been out for an early morning jog. Further back in the crowd are a group of teenage girls with their hair back in ponytails who wear brightly-colored t-shirts from American Eagle. When they spot him making eye contact with them they scream loudly in delight. He gives them his trademark smirk and a two-fingered salute, causing their shrieks to come louder and for one of them to faint.

Smirk gaining a hint of arrogance, he turns his head and looks at the crowd's other side. The first person he spots is a woman with graying hair who is dressed in a pink tracksuit. Beside her is a dog who she holds by the collar. Like the sixty-something-year-old man, they too were probably out for a morning stroll. A few places behind the woman is a young man who appears around twenty years old, has shaggy black hair, and who's whole demeanor screams with enthusiasm. Speedy doesn't know why, but he feels like he's seen that guy before…

Shrugging away the thought, Speedy looks to another part of the crowd as they make their way off of the road and onto the sidewalk in front of the museum. He sees a man in a tie, a middle-aged couple, a group of little girls who wave wildly to get Bee's attention; the usual sort of people that he is used to seeing. A second later, however, Speedy finally sees something that catches him by surprise. In the center of the crowd, closer to the front than to the back, is a familiar head of brown curls. Originally he was following his teammates so that they can rush inside and take out the "pirate" who plans on "plundering" the museum. However, upon spotting the brown curls, he stops in his tracks and gapes.

At first he's wondering if his eyes are playing tricks on him. After looking at her for a few seconds, however, it becomes wildly apparent that this is not at all the case. Pale skin, long hair, large eyes, sweatshirt and raggedy jeans, there's no doubt about it. Leila is definitely one of the people standing in the crowd. Based on the talk they had when they ran into each other yesterday, it couldn't be more plain that her being here is neither coincidence nor an accident. It is apparent that she knows she's being stared at, because large green eyes connect with Speedy's masked gaze immediately. Her eyes are filled to the brim with a mixture of anxiety and longing.

A long time passes, and Speedy doesn't move. He simply continues holding the brown-haired girl's gaze, a pleasant smile coming across his face. Eventually the fact that he isn't following the others becomes noticeable, because all four of his teammates as well as the visiting Titans West Titans stop to look at him in confusion. They think that their stares are all it will take to get him to follow, but they're wrong. He notices them staring, but he doesn't move. Instead, he waits for one of them to speak.

"Let's go, Speedy! We need get a move on!" shouts Bee commandingly. "We have a pirate to catch and hostages to save!"

Breaking eye contact with Leila momentarily, he turns to look at her. His smile staying completely intact, he responds easily. "I don't know, Bumblebee. That pirate guy seemed pretty threatening, and I'm sure that there are a lot of hostages in there. We might need some help."

Raising her brow in confusion, Bumblebee moves closer to him. "Help? What are you talking about? I could take that guy out by myself without my stingers!"

This time Speedy doesn't respond verbally. Giving Bumblebee one last glance, he nods in Leila's direction and turns back to the crowd. Brow arching further, she follows his gaze curiously. Once she spots who he's referring to, however, all forms of curiosity and confusion vanish. First the woman appears shocked, but following this, she too begins smiling. Aqualad, who is only a few paces behind them, is about ready to ask what the holdup is, but then he looks into the crowd and spots her. By this point Leila is visibly nervous, but she doesn't run away. Rubbing her right upper arm anxiously, she gives a small nervous smile and returns their gazes.

"You know what, Speedy? You're right," Bee replies at last. "There are a lot of hostages in that building, aren't there? Maybe we could use some help."

"That pirate did seem pretty threatening, and with that grappling hook he must be very dangerous," adds Aqualad with a smile. "We might need some firepower to back us up."

By this point Mas y Menos have spotted her as well. Staring her down from the edge of the sidewalk, they shout to her eagerly. "¡Ven con nosotros! ¡Usted es un Titan!"

None of them knows how they did it, but somehow the people in the crowd were able to pinpoint who the Titans are looking at. The people who were previously surrounding Leila have backed away from her and have turned around to stare, putting the girl on her own little island in the middle of the crowd. Beast Boy and Cyborg stand several feet behind the East Titans, trying to decipher if this is the girl who they've been talking about, or if maybe she's someone else entirely. It is only when Speedy addresses her directly that the two West Titans get their answer.

"Are you coming with us, or staying there? The choice is yours. We aren't going to force you."

Nobody says a word. Not Leila, not anybody in the crowd, and not any of the Titans. Leila stares at the Titans and they stare back at her, a look of uncertainty crossing the girl's face. It takes a lengthy moment, but at last, Leila moves. To their joy, Leila doesn't move away from them, but instead moves forward. As she walks toward them, the uncertainty vanishes and is replaced by an expression of confidence.

"You couldn't force me to do something even if you tried. The choice  ** _is_  **mine, and I'm  _choosing_ to go with you," Leila replies to Speedy at last. Looking at the rest of the Titans, she adds sheepishly, "As long as you'll have me, that is."

Wearing happy expressions, Bee and Aqualad move forward and place hands on each of her shoulders. Mas y Menos move closer to her as well.

"Don't you try weaseling your way out of this by talking like that," says Bee with a grin. "You already said that you want to come with us, so don't pretend that you don't want to."

"Of course we'll have you! You're part of our team," Aqualad puts in cheerfully.

"¡No temas! ¡Usted es un miembro de nuestro equipo!" Exclaims Mas y Menos.

Both to Speedy's happiness and to his surprise, Leila still doesn't run away. Instead the girl smiles and gives an appreciative nod. "Thank you. I'm glad that you're so eager to welcome me aboard."

Meanwhile, as the other Titans welcome Leila onto the team, Cyborg and Beast Boy approach Speedy curiously.

"Based on how you're talking to her like you know her, and on the fact that there's hugs all around, I'm guessing that that's Leila?" asks Beast Boy.

Speedy nods in confirmation. "Yep. That's her."

"Really? She doesn't look very tough. Are you sure that's her?" Cyborg asks skeptically.

At this, Speedy gives a chuckle. "She may be tiny, but don't let that trick you. She's tough as nails. Believe me."


	15. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Fifteen

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Fifteen**

Damiana is still in disbelief at what just happened. Out of all the people in the crowd, Speedy was still somehow able to pick her out. Once he saw her, everybody else saw her too. Only a week ago such an occurrence would have made Damiana run for her life. The Titans East looking at her, asking her to come out of the crowd and join them in front of all those people; especially two Titans from the Titans West? To be honest, everyone staring as if expecting her to make a decision still unnerved her. Yet, Damiana didn't run away. Instead she walked straight toward them, the aching need to go with them outweighing her logic.

For some reason, her logic still hasn't started working yet. Based on the way things are going right now, Damiana is convinced that it isn't going to, either. Somehow she is conversing with the Titans East team easily as they run down one of the museum's many hallways. It honestly doesn't feel like this is only the second time she has met them. More than anything it feels like she was one of their teammates who went away for a while, and now she's back. Or at least this is true for the Titans East team, anyway. As for Cyborg and Beast Boy, she isn't sure about them yet. Why they are even in Steel City, Damiana hasn't a clue.

Moving swiftly down a hallway with Aqualad on one side and Bumblebee on the other, Damiana makes an inquiry. Not about Cyborg and Beast Boy, but about the villain they're after. If the reason for their presence in Steel City is something overly important, she figures that she will find out soon enough anyway.

"Okay, I'm a little new to this hero thing, so I need answers. Has anybody ever fought this pirate guy before, or is he new? If he's new, then it's comforting knowing that we're all in the same boat." Pausing, she adds bluntly, "No pun intended."

Sending her a glance, it is Bumblebee who replies. "No. None of us have seen him until today, but whoever he is, it doesn't matter. Either way, the Titans East are going to take him down."

Once that is said, the group of them comes to the hallway's end and turns a corner. As they do this, Damiana hears as Cyborg speaks from behind her. It's true that she has never met Cyborg until today, but even so, his voice is a pretty unmistakable one.

"Yeah, but what about the hostages? Not all of us can go after Scurvy Dog. Some of us have to split off from the rest of the group to go save the people that are trapped in here!"

"I'm pretty sure they're trapped in the part of the building that's on fire, too," Aqualad states seriously. "The part that's on fire is where all of the employees check in at, and it is the farthest away from the exhibits. Why else would he set it on fire than for the fire to act as a barrier?"

Pursing her lips, Damiana considers this as she runs. Now that she thinks about it, what the aquatic Titan says is completely true. Having been in this building before, the area that's on fire is made up of offices rather than exhibits. Trapping the employees there so they don't get in his way and so the fire from the bombs doesn't destroy anything valuable would be perfect for him!

Narrowing her eyes thoughtfully, she turns to face Aqualad. "If this is the case, and if we honestly need to split up, then I think I should help save the hostages. That part of the building is on fire, and fire is kind of my specialty."

Meeting her gaze, Aqualad gives an immediate nod of agreement before looking over at the others. "Leila's right, Bee. She's the best for the job if it involves fire," he states simply.

"Fire bends to her will," adds Speedy from Bumblebee's other side. "If anyone can save hostages from the burning side of the museum, it's Leila."

Damiana isn't sure why, but their words make her smile softly. They really do believe in her.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee replies with a confident nod and gazes over at Cyborg. "You're right, Sparky. We will need to split into groups to handle this." Pausing in her steps, she turns so that she's facing the entire group. Outstretching a hand, she gestures to them while giving each of them a command. "Speedy and Aqualad, come with me so we can take down Scurvy Dog. Beast Boy, Mas, Menos, and Sparky, go with Leila to save the hostages."

Nodding at her orders, they split up just as the Titans East leader commands. The whole time Damiana can't help but feel a pang of nervousness. Aqualad, Bumblebee,  _and Speedy_ are going to be separated from her? She's going to have to fight alongside two Titans from the founding team? But she doesn't even know them! How do they know if she's even going to be successful if she's with West Titans?! As much as Damiana hates to admit it, she would rather be with Speedy. Even if they've only fought together once, she's familiar with his fighting style and at least knows what to expect from him. As strange as it is, Speedy has become… _her comfort zone_.

Shaking the thoughts away, Damiana moves so that she is standing between Mas and Cyborg. As uncomfortable as she is with working with them, there's no turning back now. Not when lives are on the line. Besides. If this girl truly plans on being a Teen Titan, she will have to get used to the Titans West on some level. She just hopes that this doesn't end badly…

All of the sudden, as if he is able to see through her anxiety, Damiana feels as a large metal hand grasps her shoulder. Giving a surprised jump, Damiana turns to look at him. Much to her astonishment, the six-foot-four metallic man is giving her an encouraging smile. The whole time Damiana doesn't say anything. She simply stares at him with surprised green eyes.

"Don't worry about us. Beast Boy and I don't bite. I know that we haven't officially met yet, but we can save that for back at the Tower. For now, let's go save those hostages."

It takes a moment, but at last she nods hesitantly."Okay. In that case, let's go! Fire spreads fast, so we don't have a moment to lose."

With that being said, she moves closer to the twins and the duo of West Titans before taking off in the direction of the fire. As they disperse, Damiana can't help but shoot a last minute glance at Bee, Aqualad, and Speedy. Upon doing this, her gaze lands on the back of the retreating archer. She doesn't know why, but for once, her thoughts aren't on how he will  _'absolutely come out okay'_  because he's a Titan. Instead she feels a quick pang of worry in her gut, afraid that he might get hurt.

Eyes widening in realization at the thought, the alien girl shakes the emotions away prior to turning her back on them and running after the rest of her group. Wherever the thoughts came from, they were certainly strange. Since when does she worry about Speedy?

* * *

_A Short Time Later…_

With as huge as Steel City's history museum is, a person would think that finding anything right away would be nearly impossible. However, it takes Damiana less than fifteen minutes to learn that this isn't true. Finding the fire on the museum's uppermost floor is a very easy task. They were able to smell smoke long before reaching the top, were able to see an ominous orange glow, and are now standing directly in front of the inferno.

They can tell that this area is exactly where Scurvy Dog's bomb went off at, the gaping hole in the wall being one hint, and the lack of ground in front of them being another. If it wasn't for the spreading fire, Damiana is certain that they would be able to see the blue sky peeking through the hole in the wall, as well as the level beneath this one staring up at them through the gap in the floor. It's true that they can see these things to an extent, but with the majority of their focus being on the roaring flames that appear ready to consume the entire upper level, the lack of stability of this part of the building doesn't have much of their attention. Rather, their focus is on how to get all of the civilians out of here.

Now that they're this close, over the roar of the flames, they are able to hear the shrill screams and panicked shouts of those trapped on the other side.

"Somebody help us!"

"I'm not ready to die yet!"

"Someone hurry up and get us out of here!"

They don't respond to the shouts. Rather, Damiana exchanges a wide-eyed glance with Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Mas y Menos. Just like she'd guessed, the fire is spreading rapidly. Within the past thirty seconds that they've been standing here, four out of the five of them have had to back away from the flames to avoid the intensity of the heat. The only one who doesn't back away is Damiana. Instead, wearing an expression of powerful determination, the alien girl moves closer. This is exactly the reason why she wanted to help rescue the hostages. Out of all of them, she is the only one who is physically capable of getting anywhere near the inferno.

As she moves closer, she can sense Beast Boy's and Cyborg's eyes on her in shock.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing?! You can't keep getting closer to the fire! It's going to kill you!" Shouts Beast Boy loudly.

"You should get back here so we can think of a plan!" adds Cyborg. "You shouldn't be risking your life like that!"

Shoving a brown strand behind her ear, she responds to them while continuing to near the flames. "Didn't you hear what I told Aqualad? Fire is my specialty. It isn't going to hurt me."

With that being said, she vanishes from their sight and into the fire. Cyborg and Beast Boy protest loudly as she does this, but Damiana ignores their shouts wholeheartedly. Normally she wouldn't, but she can hear Mas y Menos explaining to them in Spanish. She doesn't pay full attention to what they're saying due to the task at hand, but Mas' words roughly translate to  _"Do not worry about Leila. She is strong!"_ , while Menos tells them  _"Her powers are fire! She will not burn!"_. Damiana can't help but smile at their words. Honestly, she has always quite liked the twins.

Meanwhile the girl walks farther into the fire, holding her breath so that she doesn't breathe in the smoke. It's true that the fire itself won't harm her, but the toxins from the smoke are another thing completely. If she takes longer than three minutes at this, there's no doubt that she'll be a goner. It is because of this that once Damiana is at the center of the fire standing only a few feet away from the floor's crevice, she takes on a solid stance. Most people wouldn't notice, not even her fellow Dabnodians who wield elements other than fire, but this stance is different from her usual one.

The stance that Damiana normally takes on is one where her knees and elbows are slightly bent, allowing her to move swiftly as she wields her fire. One thing her father always drilled into her when first teaching her to use her element is that her knees and elbows always have to be bent. Wielding fire involves many complicated movements, almost like some type of intricate dance. If a person can't move quickly and freely, then they might as well not be a fire user at all.

The stance that the girl is using right now, in contrast, is different from the one her father first taught her. The original stance is used for when Dabnodians use their heart energy to self-manifest their fire. When controlling or absorbing the fire around them, however, the stance is different. Fire that is self-manifested comes from within, meaning that there is no process of absorbing the flames and bringing them under the fire-user's control. Of course, with the fire that is currently surrounding Damiana, it is a different story entirely.

Instead of standing with her elbows and knees bent, the Dabnodian stands so that her back and her limbs are pin straight. While doing this, she forces the energy from her second heart to the surface of her skin so that it oozes out through her pores. Once this happens, she is able to use the traces of heart energy to connect with the surrounding fire, slowly but surely removing the glowing flames from the room and filtering them into her body. It's true that this isn't a Master's level technique. According to the elders of the Fire Phoenix clan, absorbing external fire is an intermediate skill. Although, doing such a thing still requires an intense amount of concentration.

Less than thirty seconds is what it takes for Damiana to connect with the fire and for her second set of veins to feel slightly warmer because of it. Another thirty seconds passes, and the glowing orange flames finally start to diminish in size. Damiana only notices this because she can feel the fire being absorbed into her body, her pores tingling like pins and needles because of it. In truth, she doesn't pay too much attention the size of the flames. Keeping her stance and drawing in the fire requires every ounce of her concentration with no distractions. From outside the inferno, however, the flames going down in size are eerily noticeable.

Damiana doesn't notice, but on the other side of the gap in the floor where the museum's employees are trapped, loud shouts can be heard. This time their exclamations are of a different nature. Rather than sounding panicked or like preconceived doom, each of them sounds unbelievably surprised.

"Hold on a second? Are the flames… _disappearing_?! Great! My psychiatrist was wrong! The medication isn't helping my psychosis at all!"

"Don't worry, Joe. You're not crazy… The flames are  _seriously_ disappearing!"

"I'm not going to die! Whoo! I live to pay bills another day!"

The flames diminish further still, to the point where nothing is left besides smoke, ash, and embers. Meanwhile, on the same side of the crevice as Damiana, Beast Boy and Cyborg can be heard. Like the civilians they are attempting to rescue, they too are in a state of shock.

"Dude, am I seeing things, or is the fire going away?"

"If you think you're going crazy, then I guess I am too. I don't know how she's doing it, but Leila's making the fire disappear!"

It takes another couple of seconds, but at last the fire that had been engulfing this part of the building is gone completely. Not a single ember is left, and the breeze that blows in through the gaping hole in the stone wall causes the smoke to disperse. All that's left of the roaring inferno are charred stones that crumbled away from the wall, burnt pieces of metal, and blackened ash. Not only that, but now that any immediate danger is gone, a group of approximately forty individuals is seen.

The majority of them look like they are uninjured, though their khaki and white uniforms are tinged with soot, and they appear incredibly disheveled. The only person who looks like they might be harmed is a young blonde-haired woman in her early twenties, who sits against the back-most wall favoring her right leg. Now that she's looking at her, Damiana is able to see a large singe mark on her khaki pants as well as skin that is a dangerous shade of red.

As Damiana observes them, they observe her in return. Each of them does so with their eyes wide. The girl doesn't realize it, but her appearance is truly a sight to behold. Her dark blue sweatshirt, which was in one piece only a short while ago, has now been burned so that it is practically in pieces. The sleeves are almost completely gone, as well as pieces of the hood and torso. Her jeans have also been badly damaged, the sections covering her shins and thighs bearing holes three times the size of the holes that existed previously.

The only parts of her clothing that remain intact are her jeans from mid-thigh and upward, and the black tank-top beneath her sweatshirt. By some sort of miracle, her tank-top hasn't received a single burn mark. The only other thing that hasn't received any burn markings, besides her creamy white skin, is the golden cuff on her right upper arm. The golden band bearing the copper outline of the fire phoenix is truly eye-catching. It catches the glint of the sunlight that shines in through the gap in the wall, drawing all eyes so that they stare at her armband.

As everyone stares, her long brown curls blow slightly in the breeze, and they are able to notice how her milk-colored skin hasn't received even the slightest singe. With all of these things combined, they can't help but think that the girl standing before them must be incredibly powerful; this includes Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Mas y Menos. The strong way she holds herself and the determination in her gaze only helps add to the opinions of those around her that she must be powerful.

Of course, Damiana doesn't pay their awed gazes as much attention as she normally would. Instead she turns around partway so that she is facing her fellow Titans. It still seems strange to her to be referring to them as  _"fellow Titans"_ , but this is what they are now nonetheless.

Clearing her throat uncertainly, she addresses them. "Now that they're out of harm's way, how are we supposed to get them out of the building? I was able to help with the fire, but now that it's gone, I'm at a bit of a loss for what else to do."

Knowing exactly the problem she's referring to, they look down at the gaping hole in the floor. They are able to see the level beneath them; there is no doubt that it is an incredibly long fall. Anybody who tumbles over the edge will definitely break some bones, or a hip, or two. Possibly even a neck or a spine. Not wanting to risk anyone meeting their doom, the Titans search the area for anything that might be able to help them get across. A ladder, a wooden plank, a piece of cement, anything will do.

Before they have a chance to finish scanning the area, however, Beast Boy walks closer to the edge and shouts over at the trapped employees. What he asks them causes Damiana to repress the urge to slap a palm to her forehead. Why on earth didn't she think to ask such a basic question?!

"Uh, you guys wouldn't happen to have a fire escape over there, would you?! Even if it's destroyed, we might be able to help you get down it and get out!"

The group exchanges glances and mutters amongst themselves, obviously considering Beast Boy's question. A moment later the muttering stops, one of them breaking free from the group and stepping forward. The person who steps forward is a graying man in his forties.

"There's a fire escape over here, and we're pretty sure it's okay! The only reason we can't use it because it's blocked! A cement pillar fell down when that pirate guy threw his bomb, and we haven't been able to get around it!"

Smiling, the green Titan gives the guy a thumbs-up while replying. "That's great! And don't worry about the pillar! We can totally help you get around it!"

That being said, Beast Boy turns into a duck, flies over the gaping crevice, and lands safely on the other side with the civilians. Once this happens the civilians lead him to another part of the building, most likely showing him the blocked off fire escape. Cyborg, Damiana, and Mas y Menos do nothing but stare after them, trying to figure out how to cross to the other side. By this point Damiana normally would have jumped by now, but it's far too wide for that. Mas y Menos haven't even tried crossing over using their super speed.

A couple more seconds pass, Damiana still trying to figure out a way to get across without risking any of their skin. Before she can successfully come up with a plan, however, that is when Cyborg speaks out. At first what he asks confuses her, but once she learns why he needs the information, the Dabnodian girl isn't confused in the least.

"Uh…Leila? You wouldn't happen to be able to  _shoot_  fire too, would you?"

Facing him, Damiana responds to his question plainly. "Yes, I can shoot fire. I can self-manifest fire, absorb it, and my body is flame-resistant." Pausing slightly, she continues. "Why do you ask?"

Using a large metal hand, he points up toward the highest part of the ceiling. Following the direction where he is pointing, she sees a long wooden plank that it attached to one of the walls. With the length of it, there's no doubt that it would be able to match the span of the crevice.

At last, Cyborg responds. "I would shoot it down myself, but I'm afraid that I would just end up bringing down the wall. Your fire might be gentler than my arm cannon."

"As long as you can catch it, I have no problem knocking it down."

Once that is said, Damiana takes on her stance and conjures the thin shaft of fire that is her fire blade. Having just absorbed a mass amount of fire, it is a bit hotter than it should be, but it will still get the job done.

These thoughts going through her head, she pulls her arms back and does her best to propel her fire blade so that it reaches the ceiling. To their luck, the flame manages to make contact and burn through the wood without difficulty. A second is all it takes for it to come barreling down, and for Cyborg to catch it effortlessly. Carrying the heavy wooden plank like it is a toy, Cyborg lays it across the crevice, turns to face the rest of them, and gives a smile.

"Okay, problem solved! Now let's go catch up with BB. I don't care what kind of animal he turns into. The little green bean is never going to be able to move a cement pillar on his own."

Returning his smile, she moves closer to the plank. "You're probably right. Cement pillars aren't exactly light. If you want, I could cut it apart using my fire blade. It would be a lot less heavy."

Giving a nod, his smile brightens. "That would be really handy. Thanks!" After a moment of hesitation, he adds, "It's a good thing that Speedy found you. Who knew that fire had so many uses?!"

Shrugging, she answers, "I did."

"Well of course  _you_  did. You're the fire girl!" Single hazel eye skimming her over, Cyborg suddenly spots her arm band. How he didn't spot it earlier, he doesn't know, but now that he's looking at it he can't help but raise a curious brow. "And nice bracelet, by the way. It's interesting. I don't think I've ever seen one like it."

Eyes widening in surprise, Damiana looks down at her clothes. Certainly enough, she sees that her arm band is completely visible, and that her sweatshirt has been charred to pieces. Giving a sigh, she tugs the ruined piece of clothing off over her head and tosses it aside. While doing this, she responds to the metal man.

"Thanks. I'm glad you like it. It was a present from my mother." Pausing, she adds, "It's a shame that my sweatshirt got destroyed, though. I was already down to two."

"Don't be too upset over it. Everyone can see your bracelet this way. Besides. It's only a sweatshirt. You can get another one."

Tucking a brown ringlet behind her ear, her smile returns at his words. "Yeah, I guess you're right. With as pretty as my armband is, it is kind of silly to hide it, isn't it?"

From here, not another word is said. The group of them crosses the wooden plank to the other side of the crevice, ready to get the people out of the building any way they know how.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Bumblebee, are you sure that this is where he's doing his  _'plundering'_  at? I know that his costume is ridiculous, but this is a bit of an unfair assumption."

Aqualad, Speedy, and Bumblebee stand side-by-side on one of the museum's center levels. They already passed through the Ancient Egypt exhibit, the prehistoric exhibit, the ice age exhibit, and the exhibit depicting colonial America. Somehow Scurvy Dog wasn't seen at a single one of them. Now, in a last ditch effort to find the guy, Bumblebee came up with the idea to search  _this_  exhibit. So what is this exhibit exactly? It is one filled to the brim with different types of ships. There is a replica of the Mayflower, of war ships from the American Revolution, and even replicas of early twentieth century river boats. Amongst all of these boats, as should be expected, are also replicas of pirate ships.

Crossing his arms over his chest at Aqualad's words, Speedy turns to face the Titans East leader with a skeptical expression. The whole time he can't help but concur with his aquatic teammate.

"Sorry, Bee, but I'm siding with Aqualad. Why would Scurvy Dog come to this exhibit? There isn't even anything to steal!" Gesturing to a pirate ship that stands on the other side of the room, he adds. "Not unless he wants a fake pirate flag to tack onto his bedroom wall."

Putting a hand on her hip, she glares at them both in irritation. "Well, if my idea is so bad, then why don't you two makes some suggestions about where we should look?! We've already searched half of the exhibits! Considering how he's running around like some maniac dressed as a pirate, I thought that this would be a reasonable place to search!"

Giving a sigh, Speedy's posture slouches slightly. "Alright, fine. We can search here, but I doubt we'll find him. Personally, I think he's somewhere where he can actually find something valuable."

Bee rolls her eyes as at him as she replies. "Fine. We'll look here first, and if we don't find anything, we can look wherever you want. Is that okay?"

Shrugging, Speedy gives a reluctant nod. In truth, he thinks that searching the boat exhibit is the biggest waste of time imaginable. Of course, knowing their leader, it's no use arguing with her. Once her mind is made up, there's no changing it. Not only that, but at this point, arguing with her is only going to waste more time anyway. It is because of this that he turns around and begins making his way toward the pirate ship as he responds to the winged girl.

"Yeah, that's fine. If you don't mind, I'll go search the pirate ship and the Mayflower. If I find Scurvy Dog, which I doubt very highly, I'll let you know."

Once that is said, the group disperses without another word. Glancing over at his teammates, he sees that Aqualad is heading in the direction of the twentieth century riverboat, and that Bumblebee is looking over a German U-boat. Shrugging his shoulder at them, Speedy hops onto the edge of the pirate ship and swings his body over the railing by one of his arms. Once on the deck, just like he'd assumed, there is nothing interesting. There are a few barrels and wooden crates attached to the deck, there's the wheel, and some netting leading to the crow's nest. There is also a pirate flag that hangs high, a door that leads below deck, and another door leading to the Captain's quarters.

Striding to the other side of the deck nonchalantly, he hops up onto the platform that holds the wheel and gives it a spin. While doing this, he scans the rest of the ship over once more with his eyes. Even from this higher angle behind the wheel, he still doesn't see anything. Because of this, he gives the wheel a final turn before hopping down from the platform. Once he's back on the main deck, he saunters over to the door leading to the Captain's quarters. The whole time he tosses his bow into the air and catches it in a fashion that screams with boredom. He has always hated museums, and avoids them at all costs. Now he remembers why. No matter what museum he goes to, all of them are agonizingly boring!

Giving a dreary sigh, Speedy tosses his bow into the air and catches it once more before throwing open the door. The moment it is open, the archer makes his way inside and looks around. Unlike the deck, the majority of items in the Captain's quarters are either roped off or secured behind bulletproof glass. The bed, the desk containing an open map, the nightstand holding a fifteen-hundreds lantern, all if it is roped off. There is also a bookcase, and various objects such as knives and gems which are behind glass.

Jumping over the red velvet rope and making his way over to the bed, he continues searching for Scurvy Dog in a highly exaggerated fashion. Getting on his hands and knees, he lifts up the bottom of the thickly woven blanket that reaches the floor. Peeking under the bed, he calls out sarcastically.

"Scurvy Dog, are you under there? All thieves like to dress up like pirates and hide in the boat exhibit at museums, am I right? This ugly quilt, that old lantern, the dusty books behind the glass, I bet all of them are worth some real cash!"

Putting the covers back where they were, Speedy looks under the desk and under the nightstand in the same fashion. Much like the bed, he finds nothing. Scoffing and standing up, Speedy speaks to himself once more.

"Like he'd be able to fit under any of these things anyway. I hope I don't look anything like him thirty years from now. After seeing him, the YMCA is getting a lifetime membership out of me."

Bow held tightly in his grasp, Speedy walks out from behind the rope and makes his way over to the display cases. Much to his surprise, the books look rough and the letters on the spines are so faded that it almost looks like the books truly are from the fifteen-hundreds. The same goes for the ruby rings, pearl necklaces, and gem-covered brooches that are inside of the display cases. They look almost… _real_! Whoever put these things together must have really worked hard, because they look incredibly authentic!

"Authentic, maybe, but still boring," Speedy says before exiting the Captain's quarters.

Once he's back on the main deck, he is fully prepared to open up the other set of doors leading below the deck so that he can finish his search. Besides the cargo hold, the kitchen, and the crew's quarters, there can't possibly be that many places left to look. Considering how this is only a replica and not an actual ship, it wouldn't surprise Speedy if they avoided adding in the kitchen or the crew's quarters entirely. It would certainly make his life easier. The less he has to search, the sooner they can get out of the boat exhibit and move onto a different one. Something like the Ancient Greece exhibit, or the exhibit containing rare Aztec jewels. There's actually stuff that people would want to steal there.

Squatting down, Speedy uses his free hand to tug on the door's metal handle. Before he can pull it open, however, something happens to surprise the poor archer beyond belief. Practically out of nowhere, echoing shouting is heard. At first Speedy wonders if it actually does come out of nowhere, but after standing up straight and gazing up at his surroundings, he sees that the shouting comes from the crow's nest of the pirate ship. Certainly enough, standing on the edge of the crow's nest with his black beard, pirate hat, hook, and with his body clad in leather, is Scurvy Dog. As he shouts, he does so with determination.

"Ha! I knew ye scurvy Titans would come seeking me out in a pirate's sanctuary! Nobody knows the habits of Steel City's Titans better than yer greatest foe, Scurvy Dog! Now tremble in fear, ye lily-livers, because yer about to see the wrath of a true pirate!"

Seeing that the one they're looking for is finally present, Speedy removes several arrows from his quiver and loads them into his bow. Keeping his aim directly on the pirate, he shouts to his teammates who just so happen to be within hearing distance. Or at least he hopes they are, anyway. Being on the deck of the riverboat, he knows that Aqualad can hear him. Bumblebee, on the other hand, is inside of the U-boat. Because of this, he isn't sure if she'll be able to hear him. Of course, either way, he calls out to his teammates loudly.

"Hey, guys, I found him! Can you get over here and help me out?!"

As he yells for his teammates, the man tilts back his head and laughs mockingly at the archer. Even so, Speedy doesn't feel offended. If anything, he feels annoyed. The Titans West always talk about villains who come close to driving them insane simply because they are annoying to fight; these would be villains such as Mad Mod and Mumbo. When they first explained this to the Titans East, Speedy thought that they were exaggerating. To him, villains are villains and they have to be defeated. The thought never occurred to him that a villain could actually be  _annoying_. Not until today, anyway. As of now, he is able to understand exactly what the Titans West are talking about.

"Well, the young archer in the tight pants is calling his maties' for aid. Ye have every reason to be afraid, land lover. Soon enough ye'll meet the ropes end, and I'll reduce yer ship to rubble!"

Giving an aggravated grunt, Speedy slaps a gloved palm to his forehead in exasperation. "Yeah, if I owned a yacht and if you had any rope, I bet you would."

Before Scurvy Dog has a chance to say anything more, Speedy pulls back the bowstring and lets his arrows fly. They miss their mark very narrowly, the man shooting the grapple mechanism out from his hook and swinging down from the crow's nest. Less than a second is what it takes for him to land effortlessly on the main deck, the grapple letting loose and returning to the pirate. The whole time Speedy continues shooting arrows at him, hoping to hit him with his punching glove arrow. His punching glove arrow has proven to come in handy with these types of villains on more than one occasion. Yet, as if by some kind of spell, his arrows avoid hitting the man. Somehow he manages to dodge the redhead's attacks with minimal effort.

 _"Geesh, maybe he's not as out of shape as he looks,"_  says Speedy to himself.  _"He must use a treadmill, run the track, or something."_

As if reading his thoughts, Scurvy Dog sprints across the deck prior to doing several cartwheels. While in the midst of doing the cartwheels, he removes a small bomb from the red sash tied around his waist, tossing the object in Speedy's direction. The moment it hits the wooden ground it releases gas the color of putrid green, causing his eyes to widen fearfully beneath the mask. Knowing that the bomb is one that is filled with poison gas, he holds his breath, runs to the edge of the ship, and leaps over the railing before landing safely on the tiled floor out of the gas' range. It's too sad for Scurvy Dog that his poison gas attack wasn't enough to stop Speedy. The archer continues in rapid pursuit of him, not hindered in the slightest.

Scurvy Dog dashes between various ships and away from the boat exhibit altogether, running toward another part of the building entirely. Having never been in this museum before, or any museum in Steel City for that matter, he hasn't the slightest idea where the pirate is heading. Even so, he rushes after the villain anyway. As he does this he shouts to the top of his lungs for his teammates, not having any time to take out his communicator.

"Bee, Aqualad, come on! He's getting away!"

For a moment Speedy is convinced that neither of his teammates are coming to help, or that they are playing some sort of practical joke on him. When the dark-haired male clad in blue appears beside him a moment later, however, the archer learns that this isn't the case. Aqualad appears frustrated and a bit stunned, but is nonetheless present.

Gazing at him out of the corner of his eye, Speedy addresses the aquatic man curiously. "Is everything alright, Aqualad? I shouted for you and Bee five minutes ago!" Pausing, he asks, "And speaking of Bee, where is she? Don't tell me she's taking a bathroom break!"

"No, it isn't that," says Aqualad. "She climbed inside of the submarine to take a look around, and the hatch slammed shut and trapped her inside. I was going to help her get out, but she told me to come with you to take out Scurvy Dog. She said that she'll figure a way out, and catch up with us in a minute."

Mouth hanging agape, he exclaims with shock, "She's trapped inside the submarine? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm not, but don't worry about it. This is Bee we're talking about. She'll get out."

Under normal circumstances, Speedy would prefer to discuss their team's leader being trapped inside a museum replica of a submarine more seriously. Not only that, but he would like to turn around and help her out of her unfortunate predicament. Of course, with Scurvy Dog dashing to the end of the hallway and entering the World War I exhibit, the archer knows that helping the winged girl is going to have to wait. Doing another cartwheel and tossing an additional bomb, this time a smoke bomb, it makes the fact that they can't go back after Bee right now even more apparent.

Giving a grunt of aggravation, he glances at Aqualad once more as they close in on the exhibit. "Yeah, I guess you're right. She can get out on her own. Even if she can't, I don't think we can go back for her right now, anyway. If we do, Scurvy Dog is going to escape!" After a moment of hesitation, he adds, "Once we have him, we're going back for Bee though. No questions asked."

Neither Speedy nor Aqualad has time to say anything more. Instead they turn the corner into the World War I exhibit. The duo is forced to run through a thick wall of smoke left behind by the smoke bomb, but the instant it clears they come into contact with tanks, airplanes, old military uniforms, and black and white photographs. Much to their disappointment, however, there is no sign of Scurvy Dog. They know that he must be somewhere in the room, as there is only one entrance. If he would have tried sneaking out of the room past them by using the smoke as cover, they would have sensed him. It is because of this that they know he hasn't gotten away from them yet. The tricky part is going to be finding out where he's hiding in order to prevent his escape from happening.

Sauntering toward the middle of the room while keeping his fighting stance, Aqualad glances at Speedy in confusion. "What the heck is this, hide and seek?! We don't even know why he's here, or what he's trying to steal! It's like this is all some kind of game to him!"

His bow and his own fighting stance at the ready, Speedy concurs with his statement. "I know what you mean. He set part of the building on fire, showed up at the boat exhibit, and now what? He hasn't shown any interest in stealing anything at all!"

The duo stands at the center of the room in between replicas of various World War I fighter jets, and a display case covered by bulletproof glass. They stand so that they're back-to-back, each of their eyes skimming over various parts of the room. Wherever Scurvy Dog is at, he's certainly good at hiding. There's no doubt about that. Removing an arrow from his quiver, Speedy is ready to tell Aqualad that he's going to go search one part of the room while he takes the other. After all, it's no use standing around waiting to be attacked.

Before they have a chance to split up and search, however, it is much to their surprise that the ground starts to shudder. The shuddering isn't violent like an earthquake, but rather, it feels like a soft rumbling. Then, in correspondence with the rumbling, a flurry of smoke and poison gas bombs comes at them. Knowing who it is that's doing the attacking, they jump backward in an incredibly swift fashion, not even coming close to being hit. Scurvy Dog's attacks being fairly weak, Speedy is about ready to make a snide remark as he continues dodging. Not only that, but once Scurvy Dog responds, he is fully prepared to start shooting arrows in the direction of his voice. It's only too sad that the redhead doesn't get to put his plan into action.

"Don't ye scurvy Titans start underestimating me yet! I'll plunder all yer booty, and then send ye straight down to Davy Jones' locker!"

All of the sudden, before either Titan has a chance to comprehend what's happening, a large round object comes out of the ground near the World War I exhibit's center. The object isn't just round, but is made out of thick black metal, and has a timer attached to it. Speedy pulls out an electrically-charged arrow and Aqualad breaks a pipe to bring forth his water, the two of them completely prepared to go at the thing in an attempt to destroy it. After all, this isn't like the bombs that Scurvy Dog has stored away in his sash. This bomb is incredibly large, and if activated, could probably destroy all of the buildings in a one mile radius.

Unfortunately for the duo, however, they don't have time to destroy the massively-sized bomb like they want to. Much like the smoke and poison gas bombs, a thick metal cable shoots toward them from an unseen location. The cable moves so quickly that they don't even have the chance to jump out of its way. Before either of them can blink or breathe, let alone comprehend what's happening, the cable hooks around them tightly, effectively tying them to the giant bomb with the timer. They kick, struggle, and use all of their strength to attempt getting free, but it isn't any use. The metal cable is as impenetrable as they come, making it impossible to escape with brute strength alone.

Meanwhile, laughing heartily in what sounds like amusement and mockery, Scurvy Dog leaps out from amongst the displays and reveals himself. Stroking his beard with his hook, he gestures to them with his real hand as he speaks.

"This day will be a day of great plunder for Scurvy Dog! Three lily-livered Titans have been defeated by my wiles, and that leaves only four more for me to conquer! Then, I will finally be able to prove myself to this city as the Titans East's greatest foe!" Giving another laugh, he exclaims, "Enjoy the last fourteen minutes and thirty seconds of yer wretched lives, ye bilge rats! According to the scurvy timer, that is all ye have left!"

Once that is said, Scurvy Dog shoots his  _"grappling hook"_  toward the exhibit's ceiling and swings out of the room's only exit, laughing heartily the whole time. As he does this, all Aqualad and Speedy can do is stare after him in disbelief. One minute they're running after him in confidence, completely convinced that they can defeat him. The next minute they're strapped to a bomb by a metal cable, facing impending doom. So in shock are they by the turn of events that when one of them finally speaks, it isn't with panic or with shouting. Instead, it is with blatant unbelief.

"So…" states Speedy bluntly, "That just happened."

His expression just as blank as Speedy's, Aqualad makes a statement of his own. "He doesn't even want to steal anything like a normal villain? His only goal is to be our enemy? Unbelievable."

A lengthy moment of silence passes before Speedy speaks out once more.

"Well, I'm fresh out of ideas. Do you have any plans on how to escape?"

Sighing, Aqualad droops his head. "Nope."

If he wasn't tied to the bomb, it is certain that Speedy would be shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, our day is sucking pretty bad so far. I sure hope Bee finds her way out of that submarine, otherwise it looks like we're screwed."

* * *

Damiana walks cautiously down the fire escape's stairwell, avoiding debris and pieces of broken cement with care. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Mas y Menos are all ahead of her, guiding the civilians safely to the ground below. In truth, Damiana should be up front with the rest of them, but instead chose to stay toward the back of the group; for hanging onto one of her shoulders and using her body for support is the young blonde-haired woman with the injured leg. In turn, Damiana hangs onto one of her shoulders as well, making sure that the woman doesn't fall. As they step vigilantly down each stair, taking one at a time, the alien girl addresses the woman with a kind smile.

"It's lucky that you were able to get everybody away from the blast radius in time. That was very quick thinking on your part." Pausing, she asks, "How did you know he was going to throw a bomb?"

Rubbing at the burn on her leg with her free arm, the woman winces in pain while responding. "I'm honestly not too sure. Really, it was a lucky guess more than anything."

Knowing how much pain the woman is in, Damiana adjusts her gait so that she takes on more of her weight. From up close, she can see just how large the burn mark is. It covers the entire front part of the woman's leg from ankle to mid-shin, and is turning redder by the second. Not to mention that the edges of her khaki pants near the hole are starting to become stained with blood. Even so, Damiana tries not to appear overly concerned. Sometimes appearing concerned can only put an injured person in further distress. Or at least this is what she has heard, anyway.

Meanwhile, Damiana speaks to her once more. "Lucky guess or not, it was still good thinking. Without your warning, I don't think that any of your coworkers would have gotten away from that part of the building in time. They must be thankful."

The woman manages to return her smile despite feeling obvious pain. As she does this, Damiana notes as curiosity fills her coffee brown eyes, and she shoves a strand of blonde away from her face. It takes a moment, but at last the injured museum worker makes an inquiry.

"Who are you, anyway? I know you're the person who stopped the fire, and that you came here with the Titans. Are you one of them, or are you just a helper?"

Frowning thoughtfully, Damiana gives a simple answer to her question after a moment of hesitation. "I'm the newest member of the Titans East."

Brown eyes lighting up, the woman responds to the confession happily. "The Titans East are getting a new member? That's great!" Pausing slightly, she adds, "Once you get your costume together, and once everything is made official, make sure that you kick butt! Bumblebee has been the only female member of the Titans East for too long, and this world needs more girl power."

False green eyes filling with surprise, Damiana's smile widens and she gives an appreciative nod. "Don't worry. I promise I'll be a butt-kicking Titan. I'm not about to let Aqualad and Speedy outdo me."

That last sentence is said partially in a joking fashion, causing the woman's features to brighten. Opening her mouth partway, it is apparent that she is about ready to say something else. Before the chance comes, however, shouts are heard from farther down the fire escape. The shouts don't come from any of Damiana's fellow Titans, neither do they come from the civilians. Shifting her gaze to the bottom of the stairwell, Damiana sees as a large group of firemen shove debris out of the way, and rapidly make their way up the stairs. While doing this, it is the tallest and bulkiest fireman that speaks.

"Alright, Titans, thanks for all of your help, but we've got things covered from here. Go help the rest of your team fight the maniac in the pirate costume."

Shifting her gaze to Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Mas y Menos, she sees as they exchange glances amongst themselves. A second later they glance up at her, silently commanding her to join them in their retreat. Understanding their unspoken language, Damiana looks to the woman she is assisting. Before Damiana has a chance to get out a single word, she pulls away from her grasp and leans against the wall while holding her leg tenderly.

"Don't worry about me, new Titan. A firefighter is going to be here any second to help me get the rest of the way out of the building. You've helped me plenty. Now go with the rest of the Titans before you get left behind."

Nodding, Damiana gets ready to sprint up the stairs back to the main section of the museum. Mas y Menos have already run past her, as has Cyborg. The only one left is Beast Boy, who loiters at the top of the stairs waiting for her. Knowing that there isn't a moment to lose, she starts tailing after them. However, before she can get too far, the blonde woman calls after her. It's as if she remembers a last minute question that she almost forgot to inquire about.

"Hey, new Titan, what are you called? If you're a Titan, then you have a hero name, right?"

Taken very off guard by the question, Damiana stops in her tracks. The girl doesn't notice, but now Cyborg and the twins are loitering at the top of the stairs alongside Beast Boy. Not only that, but the civilians who remain in the stairwell look up at her, finally realizing that the girl in the black tank top is indeed a new Titan. Of course, Damiana doesn't pay them any attention. Instead she stares at the woman in surprise, having no idea how to respond. For some reason, out of everything she has thought about during these past few days, a hero name for her Titans East persona has never crossed her mind. How could she possibly forget something so crucial?!

Taking a deep breath, Damiana wracks her brain for a name to give to the woman. There is no way she plans on giving her the name  _"Leila"_. Once the announcement is made that she's a Titan, she still plans on using  _"Leila"_  for when she goes out into the city as a civilian. She can't give away  _"Damiana"_  either. Whether she's a Titan or a civilian,  _"Damiana"_  will always sound out of place. So, if she can't give away either of these names, then what name can she possibly use?

It takes a long few moments, but at last her false green eyes widen in realization. Finally, after some lengthy contemplation, her hero name comes to her; the translation of  _"Damiana"_ into English. In the Dabnodian language,  _"Damiana"_  isn't just a name, but is actually a combination of several words with individual meanings. Thus, why  _"Damiana"_  has an exact English translation. Running the translation through her head, Damiana glances down at her golden arm band bearing the fire phoenix symbol.

_"'Dam' means **light** , 'i' means  **of** , and 'ana' means  **fire**. So that would make my hero name…"_

Clearing her throat, Damiana returns her gaze to the woman and answers her question with a small smile. " _Firelight_. My name is  _Firelight_."

Returning her smile, the woman gives a friendly nod. " _Firelight_. I like it. It sounds powerful!"

"It really does sound powerful," states Cyborg from the top of the stairs. "It fits you."

Turning to face the Titans, Damiana rushes to the top of the stairs to join them. The moment she is at their side, they retreat from the fire escape and rush back inside the museum. Cyborg has his communicator out as they run, and is in the process of contacting the rest of the group. Meanwhile, as he does this, Beast Boy speaks to the brown-haired girl.

"Where did you come up with  _Firelight_? If you came up with it off the top of your head, then that's actually really good."

Shrugging, she answers simply. "I guess the name has always been there. I just never chose to use it until now."

Beast Boy raises a puzzled brow, ready to question the meaning behind her explanation. Unfortunately, his words don't have a chance to come. Before any of them can make another move, Cyborg speaks loudly, his voice filled with anxiety.

"Uh…guys… I just made contact with Bee. I don't mean to put a damper on our morning, but we've got a problem. It looks like we're going to have to split up."

* * *

"The third time, Speedy! This is the third time this year I've gotten strapped to a bomb because of you!"

It didn't take long for the initial feeling of shock to wear off. Since the clock is ticking, and since there is less than two minutes left until the bomb explodes, both Titans are feeling a bit edgy. One side of the bomb is soaked with water, and the other has scorch marks on it from various electrocution and exploding arrows. Yet, in spite of their greatest efforts, the bomb is still completely intact as is the metal cable that keeps them tied down. Growing just as frustrated at their dilemma as the aquatic man, Speedy squirms against the bindings and shouts at him loudly in response.

"I don't see what you have to complain about! At least it's only your third time instead of your fourth! The last time I was tied to a bomb, I was next to Bumblebee! Do you have any idea how miserable it is being strapped to a bomb next to an angry woman?!"

"Not as bad as being shoved into a tank full of hungry sharks wearing a chum necklace! I swear, I'm never forgiving you for that! That mission with Aquaman and Green Arrow was a nightmare because of you! Your arrogance and overconfidence was always getting us into trouble even back then!"

"Hey, don't judge me! I'm not arrogant  _or_  overconfident! I just have a healthy self-esteem!"

All of the sudden a robotic voice sounds off, worsening their situation.  ** _"One minute and thirty seconds until detonation."_**

Eyes widening, the Titan boys exchange glances prior to releasing shrieks of terror.

"Speedy, please tell me that you have some kind of arrow that can help us!"

Gaping at Aqualad, he exclaims, "What planet have you been on for the past ten minutes?! I've already used every arrow in my reach! With my arms tied up, I can't reach anything else!"

Black-colored eyes widening, Aqualad replies in a mixture of fear and exasperation. "Why is it that I always end up next to  _you_ in life-threatening situations?! I don't want spend the last moments of my life with you! I want to spend them in the arms of a beautiful woman!"

Speedy gives a mocking laugh in spite of their predicament. "Ha! Finally, you say something normal! I thought for sure that you'd want to spend the last moments of your life saving a school of tuna from Alaskan fishermen!"

It is here that the aquatic Titan narrows his eyes into a glare. "You're always making fun of my love for the ocean! Why can't you ever take one minute to try and understand my feelings?!"

The redheaded archer returns his glare at the statement. "Give me back my mirror and my lucky comb, and maybe it'll happen." Pausing slightly, he adds, "But only maybe."

After a moment of silence, the robotic voice speaks again.  ** _"One minute left until detonation."_**

Aqualad and Speedy scream once more, their lives flashing before their eyes.

"I can't believe I have to die tied up next to you! Why is this happening?!"

"If I have to die today, I wish I could've slept in this morning!"

One minute goes down to forty-five seconds, and forty-five seconds to thirty. Once the timer counts down this far, the duo is completely certain that this is it for them. It is only by a stroke of luck that they just so happen to be wrong. Before the timer can count down any farther, a dark-haired persona dashes into the room. Due to their positions facing the World War I exhibit's entrance, they are able to spot her the moment she sprints inside. Much to their relief, the dark-haired persona is none other than their twiggy green-eyed friend with the curly hair.

"Leila!" They exclaim in a joyful unison.

"I've never been so happy to see you in my life!" cries the archer in relief.

Practically in tears, Aqualad shouts, "Now I don't have to die next to Speedy!"

Rolling her eyes playfully, she says, "I know. You want to die in the arms of a beautiful woman."

Conjuring a long, thin, shaft of fire, she aims at the part of the metal cable that is directly in between the two. Less than a second is what it takes for the cable to split apart, effectively freeing the Titan boys. Once they're free she takes on a solid stance and forms a larger shaft of fire that appears far more threatening than before. Taking the shaft of fire, which Speedy recalls Leila referring to as her "fire blade", she cuts through the bomb using a mixture of horizontal and diagonal slices. A few seconds is all it takes for electricity to pulse through it due to the severed wires and for the bomb to start smoking, Scurvy Dog's creation falling apart and collapsing to the ground in a pile of rubble a second later.

Once this happens, the girl folds her arms over her chest and turns to face them with a raised brow. Speedy isn't sure what to identify her expression as. The only thing that could come close to describing it would be a combination of curiosity and skepticism.

"So… I guess Bumblebee wasn't exaggerating with what she told Cyborg over his communicator. The guy in the pirate costume is better than everybody thought."

Clearing his throat awkwardly and withholding a blush of mortification, Speedy crosses his arms over his chest in a macho fashion. "No. Not at all. Anybody can try strapping a Titan to a bomb. He just did it…more effectively…than other villains."

Arching her brow, she eyes him in a playful manner. "Uh huh. Sure. If he did it more effectively than other villains, then this must be your first time getting strapped to a bomb instead of your fourth like I heard you saying. Right?"

The blush he was withholding makes its way outward as he yells in shock. "How did you hear us say all of that?! You weren't even in the room! You must have been in a whole other exhibit!"

Shrugging nonchalantly, her smirk only grows. By now it is smug rather than playful. "I was. Originally, I was in the boat exhibit helping Beast Boy and Cyborg get Bumblebee out of the submarine. The only reason I left was because I heard you two arguing. Your voices really carry, and it's a good thing too. Your bickering saved both of your lives."

A long moment of silence passes, the Titan boys taking in their newest teammate's words. When the silence finally ends, it is because of Aqualad.

"So, I take it that the hostages are out of the building and safe?"

Leila nods. "Yep."

"And the rest of you came to back us up?"

The girl nods once more. "Right again."

Another moment of silence passes before they finally exit the World War I exhibit, the group heading out to resume searching for Scurvy Dog. It takes a moment, but at last one of them speaks. This time it is Speedy, who just so happens to asks a very reasonable question.

"Hold on a second. If we're here, and if Cyborg and Beast Boy are in the boat exhibit helping out Bee, then where are Mas and Menos?"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

In the Ancient Egypt exhibit, standing inside a large of a replica of a pyramid with broken glass from shattered display cases scattered across the floor, is none other than Scurvy Dog. He shoves golden jewelry, emeralds, and rubies inside of his sash hurriedly, laughing heartily the whole time. While doing this he strokes his long black beard with his hook, and his beady eyes shine with delight. Throughout the entire duration of plundering gems, he speaks to himself sounding pleased.

"It be true! I, Scurvy Dog, have earned my scurvy title as the Titans Easts' greatest foe! The lily-livered girl with the wings couldn't defeat me, and neither could those arrogant bilge rats! Steel City has never seen a devil more menacing than me! I be a pirate of an undefeatable breed!"

So distracted is the man with his plundering and self-gloating, that he doesn't notice the set of twins loitering outside the entrance to the pyramid. The one bearing the plus symbol stands on the left side of the door, while the one bearing the minus symbol stands to the right. Where they attained these objects nobody knows, but in one of their hands is a crowbar, and the other grasps tightly to an iron skillet. As they observe the man, the twins whisper quietly amongst themselves.

"¿Estás listo, Mas?"

"Sí, estoy listo."

With that being said, the two tiptoe into the pyramid without using their super speed. Somehow, Scurvy Dog doesn't sense them. Instead he continues shoving valuables into his sash and bragging to himself about what an undefeatable pirate he is. An entire minute passes like this until, at last, loud metallic clanging fills the air along with a pained screech. First the crowbar makes contact with the back of his skull, followed by the iron skillet.

"¡Morir, pirata!"

"¡No vivirás!"

Scurvy Dog stares ahead blankly for a moment, mumbling to himself. "Ye scurvy lily livers. You will walk the plank."

Once that is said the bearded man falls unconscious, tumbling to ground in a heap of leather. A moment passes as Mas y Menos hover over him, making sure that he is truly passed out before pulling out a black and yellow communicator.

"El villano es derrotado. Me pondré en contacto con los otros."

"Sí. Hacerlo ahora."


	16. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Sixteen

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Sixteen**

No!  _Heck no!_  There is absolutely  _no way_  I'm getting on the back of that thing!"

If Damiana was ever unsure about her membership of the Titans East being permanent, then all doubts have just been erased. The moment the police entered inside the building to take Scurvy Dog into custody, (who was taken out incredibly easily by Mas y Menos, much to their surprise), the Titans paused and waited for her to follow them out of the building. Not only that, but until Damiana followed, not a single one of them would budge an inch. For a long moment this surprised her, but eventually she gave a nod and followed after them.

Also to Damiana's surprise, while they were inside the museum, the crowd of civilians that was previously gathered outside disappeared. The only people left are firefighters and police officers, who are choosing to ignore the Titans and go about their business. Honestly, the fact that nobody is around to stare at them relieves Damiana. Not because she is self-conscious, but because the lack of people around to stare, judge, and be critical gives her more freedom to speak freely. At this moment in time being able to speak freely is exactly what she needs, because there is absolutely  _no way_ that she is giving into the red-haired archer.

Right now, on the side of the road across from the partially destroyed museum, the eight Titans stand gathered around Aqualad's and Speedy's motorcycles. It didn't take much convincing on their part to get Damiana to cooperate in coming back to the Tower. Secretly, Damiana was counting on going to Titans Tower with them. After she ran out on them the first time, she didn't figure that they would let her escape them so easily a second time. Of course, what Damiana didn't consider was that getting to Titans Tower would require transportation.

Cars, she is perfectly okay with. Considering how there wasn't anything like them on Dabnod, she wasn't at first, but over time she grew used to cars. During the past five years, due to various circumstances, she has ridden in numerous four-wheeled vehicles. In a way, she has even grown to appreciate the method of transportation that is so incredibly unique to Earth. Two-wheeled vehicles, on the other hand, are another story entirely. They have no walls surrounding them, they move much faster than cars, are smaller than cars, and if somebody isn't careful they might end up falling off. As a whole, motorcycles are just so…unsafe!

It is because of this that she and Speedy are having their current disagreement.

Speedy, who already has a hand resting on the seat of the  _Speed Cycle_ , shoots the girl an expression that is both irritated and offended as he replies to her previous statement. "Okay. Let me get this straight. You're willing to ride in some ancient scrapheap from the 1970's with an old lady behind the wheel, you'll let me drive you anywhere and everywhere in my Chevrolet, but you aren't willing to get on the back of my motorcycle?"

Running a hand through her dyed brown ringlets, Damiana shoots him a glare. "Are you kidding me? I would never get on the back of one of those things! Just look at it! It's a deathtrap on wheels!"

Damiana can't see his emerald irises, but she is fairly certain that they must be widening beneath his mask. Along with this, she guesses that he is probably raising his red eyebrows in a curious fashion. Pointing his head away from her, Speedy turns his gaze to his maroon and yellow motorcycle bearing the _Speedy_  emblem. The moment his eyes are on it, the alien girl watches as he walks the perimeter of his motorcycle and observes it intently. A few feet behind them, the rest of the Titans East as well as the duo of West Titans watches nonchalantly.

It takes a moment, but at last, Speedy replies. "Well, I don't see any loose bolts. The wheels don't look like they're about to fall off. The fenders, the seats, and the muffler don't look like they're on their last leg either. So I'm not sure where you're coming from. The Speed Cycle is absolutely  _not_  a deathtrap." Pausing slightly, he adds, "It doesn't matter who you ride with, Leila. It can be me, or it can be Aqualad. To be honest, I really don't care. As long as you make it to the Tower in one piece."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she shoots him another glare. "If you really want me to get there in one piece, then you'll let me walk. I'm sorry, but I don't trust motorcycles. There aren't any walls, and they go fast. They're dangerous!"

Damiana has no idea how, but her words manage to elicit Speedy's arrogant trademark smirk. She doesn't notice, but behind her, the rest of the Titans are exchanging knowing glances. If she didn't know any better, she would say that it's as if they're all assuming that the archer is going to find a way to convince her to get on one of the motorcycles. If not him, then one of them.

Meanwhile, Speedy replies. "They aren't that dangerous; not when I'm the one driving. You've seen me drive before. To think, I thought that you'd trust me to control a vehicle by now."

Stunned slightly by his words, her false green eyes widen in aggravation. "Since when does trust play into my opinion of motorcycles? When I say that they're dangerous, I mean that all of them are dangerous  _regardless_  of who's driving! I would take any mode of transportation to Titans Tower if it means avoiding getting on the back of the Speed Cycle."

From here Speedy doesn't have to say a thing. His smirk growing slightly wider, Bumblebee speaks out from behind them. Much to her amazement, Bumblebee wears a smirk as well. The only difference is that rather than being smug, hers is one of amusement. A hand resting on one of her hips, she eyes Damiana skeptically as she addresses her.

" _Any_  mode of transportation? If you're sure about that, then get over here and grab on. I'll fly you back to the Tower. Make sure you hang on tight, though. There aren't any seatbelts, and I fly high."

"I could fly you back to the Tower, too!" exclaims Beast Boy sounding equally amused. "It might feel a little uncomfortable, though. I would have to carry you there using my talons."

Stepping forward wearing his own brand of smug smile, Aqualad adds, "Or you could walk to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and I could summon some dolphins to swim you to the Tower. It might take a while, but I'm sure swimming is much safer than getting on the back of one of our motorcycles."

Running a hand through her curled tresses once more, Damiana turns to face them while sighing in annoyance. "Come on. You know that isn't what I mean. I didn't mean  _ **any**_  mode of transportation."

"Well, that's what you said," states Bumblebee easily. "It's either flying, swimming, a five hour walk, or riding on the back of one of the motorcycles. Take your pick."

A long moment of silence passes after this, Damiana's irritation only growing. In truth, she would much rather take the five hour walk. If it was only a three hour walk, then she would actually go for it. Of course, with as much time as it would waste, there's no doubt that taking the walking option would be ridiculous. Flying through the air being held in Beast Boy's talons doesn't sound pleasant either; especially depending on the type of bird he turns into.

Then there's flying with Bumblebee, which sounds far more dangerous than any type of land vehicle. Maybe it doesn't sound dangerous to Bumblebee since she's the one with the wings, but since Damiana herself is incapable of flight, flying simply sounds like a stupid and risky idea. After all, she is a Dabnodian, not a Tamaranean. As for the thing with the ocean and the dolphins, she's pretty sure that Aqualad was just being sarcastic…

As if deciding that what the rest of the Titans told her wasn't enough, Speedy makes a statement while continuing wearing his smirk. "Whoever you go with, make sure you hold on tight. As Titans we work out a lot, so we're not super cuddly, but we'll still keep you from falling."

Another lengthy moment of silence passes after this. During this time Mas y Menos run off by use of their super speed, Beast Boy flies away in the form of a green eagle, and Bumblebee takes to the skies. At some point Cyborg hops onto Aqualad's blue and black motorcycle, the metal man and the Atlantian temporarily fighting over who gets to drive before the latter finally gives in and takes the back. Once this is decided, they take off and return to the Tower as well.

By this point only Speedy and Damiana are left. The two take some time to stare at each other, Damiana with uncertainty, and Speedy still wearing his smirk. When Speedy's smirk finally softens to a gentle smile, however, that is when the alien girl finally takes a deep breath before walking forward. Knowing that they have finally come to an agreement, Speedy puts on his helmet and hops into the front seat. Even so, Damiana doesn't yet jump onto the two-wheeled vehicle. Instead, moving so that she is directly beside Speedy, she asks a question that sounds genuinely nervous.

"You're not going to drive like a maniac, right? I know that this sounds weird, especially coming from the girl who is able to survive on the streets, face down villains, and bend fire to her will, but I honestly do hate motorcycles."

His gentle smile never fading, he extends a gloved hand in her direction. "Don't worry. I promise I'll take it slow. If I'm going too fast, just let me know. I guarantee that I'll slow down."

Taking a deep breath, she places her tiny hand in his larger one, allowing him to pull her onto the Speed Cycle. As she is planted firmly onto the backseat, the nervousness she feels in her gut is unbelievable. There are no walls around her to protect her, two-wheeled vehicles are difficult to detect by cars, and she could fall off of this thing so easily. She can't believe that she has to ride on the back of one of these deathtraps! What Speedy says next doesn't make it any easier for her, either.

"When I said hold on tight, I was being serious. Make sure you grab me tight. Since this is your first time on a motorcycle, and since you don't have a helmet, holding onto me will probably help." Pausing slightly, he adds, "I'm sorry that you don't have a helmet, by the way. I have an extra, but I forgot to bring it. Next time you'll definitely have one, though, guaranteed."

Damiana groans internally at the words  _"next time"_. He honestly expects her to get on the back of this deathtrap more than once?!

Sighing deeply, Damiana hesitates slightly before loosely wrapping her arms around his midsection. Honestly, grabbing hold of him is the last thing that she wants to do. It's true that she gets along with Speedy better than she used to, but physical contact still isn't something she's used to. Secretly, the girl's primary goal is holding onto Speedy as little as possible. With as much as she hates motorcycles, hopefully this goal can be met.

Meanwhile, making sure that her grip remains as loose as possible, she replies to his previous statement. "Okay. Whatever. Just get me back to the Tower. Let's get this over with."

* * *

At first, Damiana thought that Speedy had been exaggerating. When he told her that she needs to hold on tight, she thought for sure that he had just been patronizing her due to her phobia. Of course, as the universe would have it, it only took thirty seconds for her to realize how wrong this assumption was. With the wind blowing in her face, her lengthy tresses whipping around wildly, and how disorienting the rapid movement of his motorcycle feels, holding onto Speedy really does help. Damiana hates to admit it, but as a whole, holding onto the archer isn't so bad.

Like Speedy stated earlier, he does indeed work out. Even so, this doesn't mean that he isn't  _"cuddly"_  in one form or another. One thing Damiana likes about holding onto Speedy is that his body is very firm. It's difficult for the girl to explain, but as they're speeding down one of Steel City's streets at approximately fifty miles per hour, holding onto something so solid makes her feel the slightest bit more confident that she isn't going to fall off. Not only that, but Speedy's body is also very warm, making it all the more pleasant to bury her face in his back in order to shield the wind from her eyes.

Along with how warm he is, as well as how muscular his back and abdomen feel, Damiana can also feel as the thudding of his heartbeat radiates throughout his torso. During the five years that she has been on Earth, Damiana has had almost no physical contact with other beings, so she never noticed it before, but a human heartbeat is very different from that of a Dabnodian's. Unless their body is in a state of crisis or their adrenaline is running high, Dabnodian hearts usually beat at completely different intervals. One heart beats rapidly while the other takes on a slower pace, almost sounding like music.

However, from what she can tell due to having her limbs wrapped around Speedy, human heartbeats aren't like music. Instead, Speedy's is strong, steady, and constant, almost like a hypnotic trance. Honestly, now that she is actually close enough to a human to feel their heartbeat, she likes how steady and constant the beating of only one heart feels. Human heartbeats are very different from what she's used to, but are nonetheless very pleasant to listen to. It is so peaceful, and soothing, and stable...

All of the sudden, Damiana is torn away from her inner musings. Normally she would just be happy that it wasn't them crashing or her falling off of the Speed Cycle that distracted her, but right now, the idea of them crashing doesn't sound so bad. When Speedy asks the question that he does, and when she realizes why he's asking it, the girl feels like she could crawl into a hole and bury herself.

"Leila, are you okay? Either your fear of motorcycles is more serious than I thought, or you are seriously enjoying it that I work out." Chuckling in a fashion that is both teasing and amused, he adds, "Are you feeling me up? Because from my end, that's what it feels like."

Coming out of her thoughts and back into reality, Damiana realizes exactly what he's talking about. How she didn't notice earlier, she doesn't know, but her hands have been trailing up his abdomen completely of their own accord. Rather than her arms wrapping around his waist like they were previously, there is one hand resting atop his abdomen where his flawless six-pack is located, and the other is resting on his chest over his heart. The whole time one of her cheeks is resting on his upper back, enjoying the feel of him.

The moment she realizes what she is doing, this changes completely. Cheeks turning crimson, she pulls her face away from his back and readjusts her arms so that they are once again wrapped around his waist. Only, this time, they are wrapped much more loosely than before. While doing this, she makes a loud exclamation that sounds angry, but underneath the anger is embarrassment. It is no secret to the Dabnodian girl that Speedy is able to hear right through the anger to her actual emotions.

"What? No! I wasn't feeling you up! Why the heck would you think that? What do you think I am? Some kind of closet pervert who enjoys touching men in tights?!"

By now his chuckles are turning to open laughter. "I don't know, Leila. I'm starting to wonder!"

Having entered a busier part of the city, Speedy has slowed his motorcycle down from fifty miles per hour to a speed that is around twenty-five. Relieved by this most recent occurrence, Damiana uses this as an opportunity to release him completely. By now her face is redder than her undyed hair on a happy day. Blowing a wispy brown strand out of her face with a huff, she crosses her arms over her chest and grumbles to him in response.

"Think what you want Speedy, but your assumptions are false."

Beneath the mask and the helmet, Damiana is certain that his emerald eyes are glinting teasingly as he replies. "Sure. Whatever you say." After a momentary pause, he adds, "But next time, I would suggest feeling up my biceps. I spend a lot of time on my arms, so they should be pretty firm."

Damiana simply rolls her eyes at him. "Honestly, Speedy. You are one of the most arrogant people I have ever met. I bet a girl can't tap you on the shoulder in the grocery store without you thinking that she's making a move." A moment later, she adds, "You need to get some seatbelts installed on this thing, because I'm never holding onto you again."

Approximately thirty seconds passes after this, the girl feeling confident with her statement. Then, as if the universe is against her, that is when the section of road they're on turns particularly bumpy. Holding onto the seat, she does her best to brace herself, but at some point the Speed Cycle hits a bump that is larger than the rest. As a result, she is knocked into Speedy, slender arms wrapping around his waist once more. When this happens, the archer speaks out sounding incredibly smug.

"Again, Leila, whatever you say."

"Will you be quiet?!" she snaps at him. "I bet you chose this street on purpose!"

Chuckling, he confesses, "Hey, maybe!"

Glaring at him with false green eyes, she exclaims, "I liked you better that day on the dock! What is this? Do you just feel like tormenting me today or something?!"

He gives another chuckle. "Again, maybe!"

Narrowing her eyes, she seethes, "You're so infuriating."

He doesn't laugh this time, though he does sound amused. "I know."

To both of their surprises, Damiana doesn't let go of him despite her irritation. Instead she keeps her arms loosely wrapped around his waist. When they make it to a less busy part of town and start doing fifty miles per hour again, her grasp tightens and she ends up burying her face in his back once more, the wind being too much with it blowing in her face. While doing this she blushes, being hyperaware of the close contact due to their previous conversation. She doesn't realize it, but the moment she tightens her grasp, Speedy's cheeks redden as well. When she buries her face in his back, he gains a smile. Not an arrogant smile, but one that is both pleased and gentle.

* * *

Every day before this one, the idea of having to share the Speed Cycle with someone else made Speedy cringe in agony. Having some girl sitting in back of him, clinging onto him, and jabbering into his ear sounded like the worst kind of torture imaginable. Sure he has gone on dates with girls, will give the occasional wink to a fangirl, and if he is in a really good mood he'll even show off his bow. The Speed Cycle, however, is where the archer draws the line. With as peppy and squealy as fangirls are, the last thing he would ever want is one of them on the back of his motorcycle hugging the life out of him and talking a mile a minute while he's trying to drive. Not only would that make for unsafe driving conditions, but it would be unbelievably annoying.

It is because of this that Speedy was never able to foresee how comfortable he is with Leila riding on the Speed Cycle with him. He knew that since it was Leila and not a fangirl that he would be okay with it, but he didn't know that he would be  _this_  okay with it. What also surprises him is that, even when her grasp is at its tightest, he honestly doesn't mind being held onto. It's a difficult thing to explain, but he actually likes the feeling of her arms being wrapped around his waist. When he's going so fast that she can't tolerate the feeling of the wind, he also finds himself enjoying it when she cuddles closer and rests her head on his back, as if using him as some kind of a shield.

It really is very strange to the archer, but he supposes he enjoys Leila's touch because it is unintentional and innocent. She isn't like the scheming and manipulative fangirls who will touch him in the exact same manner just to get closer to Aqualad, end up on the Evening News, or to say that they hugged Titan Speedy. When Leila wraps her arms around his waist and rests her head against him, it is simply because she is using him as an anchor to make her feel safe while riding the Speed Cycle. It still baffles him that a girl who knows how to survive on the streets and who is probably capable of burning down entire cities is afraid of motorcycles, but then again, he supposes that everyone has a phobia.

The only thing that baffles him more would be the fact that she was feeling him up a few minutes ago. It's very odd, because she wasn't touching him in a fashion that suggested lust. She had one hand slowly running up and down his abdomen feeling his six-pack, and the other resting firmly on his chest, but it wasn't in a rough or forceful manner. Through Speedy's eyes, it almost seemed like Leila was…curious. Based on the way she was touching him and on how close she was snuggled up to him, she made it seem like she hasn't been close to another human in ages! Like she'd gone years without experiencing any physical contact!

Really, Leila feeling him up wasn't something that was bothering Speedy too bad. It was simply that once she started snuggling too close, and once her hands started touching his torso a little too much, he was starting to feel a bit... _uncomfortable_. The fact that she didn't seem to notice how much she was touching him didn't help anything, either. If anything, her touches seemed to be absentminded. His worst fear at the moment was having her come out of whatever trance she was in only to discover how warm he was getting and his quickening heartrate.

So, with this being his fear, why not point out her actions and tease her a bit? In a way, teasing has always been his cover. Not to mention that teasing Leila truly is fun. Seeing her embarrassed and irritated reactions to his accusations make his day. Speedy has rarely seen anything cuter than a defensive, embarrassed, and blushing Leila. Now that she's joining the Titans, the archer is secretly hoping that she'll make a lot of his days with their arguments and friendly teasing. Having one other Titan on their team really does sound nice to the archer. He enjoys having Aqualad, Bee, and Mas y Menos around, as they're all his friends, but having one more person around would make the Titans East seem more complete. Secretly, he has always thought this.

Right now, after several minutes of teasing Leila and playfully arguing with her, they have again fallen silent. They are currently stopped at a red light at an intersection where there isn't much traffic. Despite the fact that they are currently motionless, Leila still has her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. Normally she wouldn't, but at intersections where there isn't much traffic he has the unfortunate habit of taking off fast. He forgot to give her a warning a few miles back, and sadly she learned this the hard way. So now, unless she knows they're going to do thirty-five miles per hour or under, Leila continues holding onto him. Of course, Speedy doesn't mind this; not even a little bit.

Several moments pass and they continue sitting in silence, the sounds of the few idling engines around them filling the air. They aren't far from the Tower now, and should be there in less than ten minutes. Because of this, Speedy is expecting silence for rest of their ride. However, when the sound of his communicator beeping from his pocket begins echoing loudly, he knows that this most likely won't be the case. Hurriedly digging the circular object bearing the  _Titan_  emblem out of his pocket before the light turns green, he answers to see the smiling face of Bumblebee.

"Oh, hey, Bee," he says simply. "What's up?"

Her facial expression remaining chipper, she gets straight to the point. "Hey, Speedy. Did you get Leila on the back of the Speed Cycle yet? Since you're wearing your helmet, it looks like you did."

Smiling, he gives a nod. "Yep. It took a while, but I managed it. We've been taking regular streets instead of the freeway, so it's taking a bit longer to get back. This is her first time riding a motorcycle, and she doesn't have a helmet, so I figured that it would be best to steer clear of the freeway."

Bumblebee nods in response. "That's a good call on your part. For some reason I had it in my head that you'd take the freeway anyway."

Before Speedy has a chance to respond to the statement, Leila replies from behind him. Even if she is unable to see the communicator, she can still hear Bumblebee clearly.

"It's a good thing he didn't take us out on the freeway on this two-wheeled deathtrap! If he did, I would wring his neck!"

Speedy can't help but smirk at her words. "Would the freeway really be so bad, Leila? If we were on the freeway, you could snuggle even closer. With the way you were feeling me up a few minutes ago, I thought for sure that you'd want another opportunity."

Surprised by this remark, Bee raises a brow from the communicator's other end. Meanwhile Leila responds to his teasing in what sounds like embarrassment and anger.

"For the last time, I  _ **was not**_  feeling you up!"

"Then what do you call running your hands over my chest and abs?"

Sounding angrier than before, she exclaims, "Will you please shut up about that?! I wish that you would shove it to the back of your unconscious memory and forget that it happened!"

Holding a hand over her mouth, Speedy sees Bumblebee does her best to refrain from snickering. Aqualad, who can't be seen but is obviously nearby, is heard as he speaks out in amusement.

"Bee, why don't we tell them what we need to tell them so Leila can run her hands over Speedy's body in peace? It's hard to be a pervert when people are listening."

Speedy's eyes widen beneath his mask at the aquatic man's statement. Before he can respond, smirk, or make his own teasing remark, Leila shouts lividly.

"What did you call me, fish-for-brains?! I am  _ **not**  _a pervert! Just wait until we get back to the Tower! I will hunt you down!"

A moment passes where there is a lack of dialogue, Aqualad and Bumblebee laughing from the communicator's other end. At some point the light turns green and Speedy passes the communicator to Leila, the girl holding the device with one hand and holding onto Speedy's shoulder for support with the other. Knowing that her grasp isn't as solid as it should be, he makes sure to drive more slowly as Leila speaks with Bumblebee.

"Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you called? Before cruelly insulting me and calling me a pervert, Aqualad said that you had something to tell us."

Voice sounding chipper, Bumblebee replies instantly. "Yes. We wanted to tell you that when you get back to the Tower, we're going to start setting up your room and designing your costume. If we start working on your costume now, we should have an entire set ready for you in a day or two. Getting the furniture for your room might take longer, but it shouldn't take more than a week."

Much to his relief, Leila immediately concurs. "A room and a costume? That would be good. With my fire my civilian clothes take too much damage, so a costume is going to be necessary."

"Great!" exclaims Bee joyfully. "Now that I know you're on board with everything, I wanted to ask, do you need anything from your motel room? Because once we get started on making you an official Titan, there won't be a moment of peace from the media. If there's anything in your motel room that you can't live without, now would be the time to go back for it. Otherwise you could end up getting swarmed by reporters."

A long moment of silence passes once the words are spoken, Speedy being taken off guard by Bee's question. Honestly, the thought that Leila might have to grab her belongings from her motel room never occurred to him. If it had, it would have been the first question Speedy asked. As far as he knows Leila doesn't own too many personal items, so the scant few things she has should be easy enough for them to haul on the Speed Cycle.

Meanwhile, as if having his same thoughts, Leila replies to Bee's inquiry. "Now that you mention it, I actually do have some things that I should grab. A couple things I can leave behind, and the things I need should be able to fit in my bag. Not only that, but while I'm there I need to make some calls. I should really let my employers know that I won't be coming back. It would be rude to quit showing up without telling them anything." After a moment of silence, she addresses the archer. "Speedy, are you okay with stopping by my motel room? We shouldn't be there for more than twenty minutes. If not, you can always drop me here, and I can walk."

Despite the fact that he isn't facing her, Speedy gives a smile as he speaks to the girl. "No, that's okay. We can stop by your motel room so you can pick up your stuff. It isn't a problem."

Once he is through speaking, it is heard as Bumblebee gives her approval.

"Great! We'll see you when you get back to the Tower." Giving a snicker, she adds, "And don't you two stay gone for too long. Otherwise Aqualad and Beast Boy are going to start making up stories."

He can only imagine that Leila must be rolling her eyes as she replies thickly with sarcasm. "Don't worry, Bee. It'll be hard for me to keep my hands off of him, but I promise that I'll be good."

Once that is said, Leila shuts off the communicator and hands it back to Speedy. There is a brief moment of silence between them before the redhead addresses the brown-haired girl.

"Okay, I'm not sure where your motel room is at, so you'll have to direct me a bit. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. As long as we get there."

From here it doesn't take long for Speedy to turn around, and for the brown-haired girl to begin giving him directions. The archer doesn't know it right now, but his day isn't about to turn boring. He is in for a surprise.

* * *

Damiana really wishes that Speedy would have let her walk to her motel room alone. She didn't think about it too much earlier, but now that they're actually here, there are numerous reasons why Speedy shouldn't see where she has been living. Not only is her place of residence very rough, but he really shouldn't see what she's packing into her simple black bag either. It's true that she already has the Phoenix Index with her, but she has two other books left in her motel room that are written completely in the Dabnodian language. She already slipped up and spoke her native language in front of him once. If he catches sight of the language written down, it might as well be the end. One glance at her Dabnodian books is all it will take for him to figure out that something isn't right about her.

Of course, at this moment in particular, Damiana's soul focus isn't necessarily on her books. Rather, she is just hoping that she and Speedy can get to her room toward the back of the complex as peacefully and with as little confrontation as possible. Of course, with the people that inhabit this motel, Damiana highly doubts that this will happen. Even if nobody looks in their direction or says a word to them, there is always  _something_  going on in this place. It's part of the reason why she hasn't been able to sleep any better than she did while sleeping under canopies and on park benches.

Breathing in deep, Damiana steps off of the pavement filled with potholes and rusted cars, and onto the walkway running alongside the motel rooms. The whole time Speedy walks directly beside her, observing their surroundings with a small frown. As he views the area, Damiana does her best to hide the cringe that threatens to escape. Unfortunately, the motel is particularly lively on this fine afternoon; lively in the most painful and demeaning of ways.

As they walk down the sidewalk in between the motel rooms and the parking lot, a group of individuals is seen standing amongst cars missing hubcaps and that have more rust than paint. Many of them having greasy hair, stained and tattered clothing, and missing teeth, it is plain that they are not exactly high-society people. Not only that, but they hold various glass bottles filled with clear liquid, as well Budlight cans. Some of them also hold cigarettes, both the cigarettes sold in stores, and cigarettes that look like they were thrown together haphazardly in somebody's basement. As they loiter in the parking lot, they laugh loudly while sounding unnaturally happy. The only thing that causes their laughter to cease is when they catch sight of Speedy.

"Hey, what're one of the Titans doing 'ere? I hope he ain't 'ere for any of us!" says a man with a grimy beard while pointing a liquor bottle in Speedy's direction.

"Naw, don't worry about 'im, Tim," a woman with greasy hair and yellowing teeth replies. "He ain't 'ere for us. Them Titans got other things to do than worry about us."

Damiana picks up the pace, scurrying past the group as quickly as possible. The last thing she wants to do is stick around them too long. Apparently Speedy catches her drift, because it doesn't take long for him to quicken his own pace. It isn't like moving faster helps her case much, though. It is quickly learned that the group in the parking lot wasn't the only rowdy bunch. As soon as they turn the corner to another set of motel rooms, the noise only grows worse. Then again, Damiana has always noticed that the farther back the rooms go, the louder it gets.

As they walk down a fractured sidewalk littered by trash as well as the occasional fuzzy rodent, they notice that one of the splintering wooden doors approximately ten feet away from them is hanging open. From what Damiana can see, the room number reads  _16C_. Of course most of this is deciphered from the number's faint outlines, as the metal plate for the  _1_  is dangling and the  _C_  is missing. For a moment they wonder why the door is hanging open, but less than a second later when a dark-haired man is being dragged out of the room by a duo of police officers, they learn exactly the reason. While being forcibly removed from the room, he squirms in the police officers' grasps and shouts lividly.

"Hey, man, this is so unfair! I didn't do nothin'! You dudes can't arrest me!"

"We have a warrant, so technically we can," replies one of the officers sternly.

With that being said the two officers stomp past Damiana and Speedy with the man in tow. Before they can pass them completely, however, a woman wearing a denim miniskirt and a pink midriff top with hair dyed bright purple leaps out from room 16C. She gets down on her knees and stretches an arm in the man's direction, tears streaming down her cheeks messing up her makeup.

"Don't worry, Eduardo! I won't leave! I'll wait for you forever!"

Tilting his head so that the woman is within eyesight, the man looks back at her. "It's okay, baby! I'll be back! Nothing can stop our love!"

Once the duo of police officers and the man pass them by completely, Speedy and Damiana awkwardly tiptoe past the crying purple-haired woman. By now she is sitting against the doorframe sobbing into her hands, practically shrieking like a banshee through her tears.

"Eduardo! No! Why must you leave me?!"

Once they make it past the room, so far past that they're now in front of room 19C, Speedy leans closer in order to ask a question.

"Does that happen a lot?"

Giving a small nod, she replies, "More than you think."

What Damiana doesn't tell Speedy is that Eduardo gets arrested at least once a month, and every time there is a different woman standing on the sidewalk in tears. As they get farther down the sidewalk, this isn't the end of it either. At some point they stumble past two men, one a gray-haired man wearing a woolen cap, and the other a man with blackened teeth wearing a tattered denim jacket. They sit leaned against a dank brick wall scattered with tiny fissures, the two shouting and playing tug-a-war over some random object.

"No! You can't have it! It's mine! I'm the one that found it!"

"Give it back, you old coot! You wouldn't have found it if I hadn't told you where to look!"

Based on the way they're arguing a person would think that they're fighting over a pot of gold. Upon glancing at them, however, it is discovered that the object of their desire is a bag of beef jerky. As they continue walking they pass by additional sidewalk men who sleep atop newspapers, they hear people shouting at each other inside of their rooms through broken windows, and in the motel's C area alone there are two more rooms where people are getting arrested. It is because of this that when they turn another corner and come to the motel's D area that Damiana can't help but feel relieved.

Never has she experienced a walk to her motel room more painful than this one. Not just because Speedy is with her to see the type of place that she has been living for the past six months, but because he is now staring her down in fashion that is both curious and flabbergasted. By the time they are in front of her room of 4D, she can practically feel his masked stare boring into her. Giving an internal sigh, she digs her key out of her pocket and unlocks the door. Somehow the girl already knows that Speedy isn't happy with where she has been living. It is because of this that once they step inside of her tiny room and shut the door, she isn't at all surprised by Speedy's actions.

Walking to the center of the room so that she is between the foot of the bed and the ancient television set, Damiana turns to look at Speedy who loiters near the door. As she looks at him it is seen that he is busy locking the main lock, the deadbolt, and the slide-lock, making his impression of her place of residence undeniably blunt. Once they're locked he goes back over them with gloved hands to double check that they are secure, and then he moves to the window to pull the curtains shut.

At long last, after the curtains are shut and the door is securely locked, Speedy saunters to the center of the room so that he is only a few feet away from where she stands. After a long few seconds of remaining stationary, he reaches a hand toward his eyes. For a moment Damiana questions what it is he's doing, but a second later he peels away the mask, revealing his stunning emerald gaze. Like usual his eyes leave Damiana momentarily breathless, his irises shining a dozen shades of green with the occasional fleck of brown glinting at her. The whole time emotion is seen there as well, disbelief and irritation being dominant.

It takes what feels like eternity, but at long last, the archer speaks.

"Leila," he asks slowly, "how long have you been living here?"

Damiana has no idea why, but the sight of Speedy's irritation makes her gulp nervously.

"Uh… Well…" Clearing her throat awkwardly, she confesses. "Six months."

Another moment of silence passes, this one long enough to swallow eternity. When the archer speaks again, his voice is firm like she has never heard it before. He doesn't sound angry necessarily, but Damiana can tell that he is definitely upset.

" _Six months_? You are telling me that you have been living in this scummy place for  _six months_? For crying out loud, Leila! You have superpowers, and have been living in Steel City! Why didn't you try hunting down the Titans East? We could have helped you! We could have gotten you out of this place!" Pausing he adds, "If not us, why didn't you get help from Mrs. Tucker, or from your waitress friend at the café? I'm sure that they would've helped you! Anything has to be better than this!"

Running a hand through her thick brown tresses, she scowls at him severely. "You're not my mother, Speedy. I've been living here for six months, and nothing has happened. I've been fine. Remember, I lived on the streets before this. I'm a survivor."

Taking a step closer, he holds his mask between a middle finger and a forefinger while responding. "It doesn't make any sense to be a survivor when you don't have to be."

More than anything, Damiana wants to snap at him with a bitter retort. They've only known each other for a little over a week, so what does he know? He can't possibly know who she is, what her life has been like, or what she's gone through. What right does he possibly have to tell her that choosing to live here wasn't the right decision?! Moving a step closer to him, she is about ready to spew out all of these words. Before Damiana can get out a single one of them, however, that is when she looks into his eyes once more.

Speedy's eyes still hold disbelief, this is true, but the irritation is gone. Left in irritation's place is an emotion that catches Damiana so off guard that she practically finds herself reeling backwards. This emotion is  _caring_. As he looks at her with his large, caring, eyes framed by thick lashes, Damiana sees as every shade of dazzling emerald blends together flawlessly, making his eyes gleam. Flecks of brown dance across his gaze as well, bringing his eyes up to an entire other level of beauty. So entranced is the girl by his gaze that she couldn't speak even if she tried.

During her moment of silence, Speedy continues. "If you think that I'm trying to control you, that isn't true. The motel you've been staying at is located in the most dangerous part of Steel City. It isn't safe to live here, even for a Titan. I just want to make sure that you don't get headstrong and try to come back here. The last thing any of the Titans want is for you to end up dead."

Damiana has no idea how she does it, but somehow she manages to break free from his hypnotizing gaze. Once the girl is finally free, she makes her way over to her dresser, opens one of the drawers, and shoves a pair of jeans into her black bag. Meanwhile, she gives Speedy a simple response.

"You don't have to worry about that. I just came here to pack up my stuff like I said. Once I have what I need, I'm leaving this life behind forever."

* * *

Speedy doesn't understand Leila, and honestly, he doesn't think that he ever will. Standing in the back-most corner of the tiny room between the kitchen and bathroom, he watches from the corner of his eye as Leila throws various items such as books and the money locked in the drawer of her bedside table into her bag. As she does this she holds the walk-around phone belonging to the motel up to her ear using her shoulder, frantically talking to someone on the other end as she packs up her things.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Elliot, but you didn't mishear me. I won't be coming back to work. Other things have come up, and there is no longer room on my schedule."

He can't hear specifically what the lady says to Leila, but he can tell by the volume of her voice that she is far from happy. Even from his place on the other side of the room, he can tell that one of Leila's many employers is shouting at her furiously. This doesn't surprise him, though. So far this is the fourth person she has called, and the three previous people reacted in the same fashion. With as horrible as these people are, Speedy doesn't understand why she's giving them a head's up that she's quitting. If he was in her situation, he would just leave them hanging. Then again, he doesn't understand how she has been able to weather through six months of living here, either. Living on the streets must be better than living in a place like this. Having lived on the streets himself, he knows this for sure.

As he watches Leila in his peripheral vision, Speedy keeps his primary gaze on the other aspects of her room. With as trashy as the motel itself is, Leila's room isn't half bad. He can tell that she does her best to keep it clean. The floors are mopped, there aren't any crumbs on the carpeting, the bed is made, and the kitchen counter is clean. Even so, this doesn't make up for the fact that there is mold crawling up the wall behind the TV, there are cracks in the drywall, the carpeting and tile look like they should have been replaced a decade ago, and in the corner beside the exit, he sees a large gray rat. Upon spotting him, the rat wiggles under the door and out of the room, causing Speedy to grimace.

Growing bored with observing the room's main area, and not wanting to watch Leila too intently in case she needs privacy to pack things such as undergarments, Speedy turns around so that he is facing the part of the room containing the kitchen and the bathroom. His mask in one hand, he waltzes over to the cupboard above the counter and throws it open with his free hand. Why he does this, he isn't certain. He either does this out of boredom or curiosity.

Upon throwing open the cupboard, he sees that there isn't too much to be curious about, though. All that's there is a loaf of bread with only four remaining slices, a box of macaroni, and an empty jar of peanut butter. Shutting the cupboard door gently, he moves over the fridge and peeks inside there as well. Seeing as it only contains an expired half-gallon of milk and a nearly empty jar of jelly, the refrigerator is in even worse shape than the cupboard.

 _"Geesh,"_  says the archer internally.  _"If she hadn't already agreed to come back to the Tower, I would probably try making her. It can't be healthy living like this. It's no wonder she's so frail!"_

Shaking his head at the thought, he can't help but feel a bit disgusted with Leila. The fact that she would choose to live in a violent, rat-infested, environment, and malnourish herself instead of seeking help is just… _unbelievable_! Sure she has superpowers, but still! She has to eat, and has to get some sleep at some point. No matter how brilliant her powers are, they're still no excuse for putting herself in unnecessary danger. What reason does she have not to seek help? Besides her powers, it's not like she has anything to hide!

Shutting the door to the refrigerator, Speedy turns back around to face the girl. Now she is no longer talking on the phone, but is busily dialing another number. Not wanting to interrupt her, he moves away from the kitchen and toward the door leading to her bathroom. This time he doesn't care about snooping. Rather, he needs a mirror to make sure that he's putting his mask back on right. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have removed it at all, but in order for Leila to realize how serious he was being, he figured that taking it off would be best. Whether it is Leila or his fellow Titans back at the Tower, he has discovered that he is taken the most serious when he removes his mask.

Stepping inside of the bathroom, which contains cracked tile, a stained sink, and a scummy-looking toilet and shower stall, Speedy moves over to the bathroom vanity. Mask in hand, he places it over his eyes and adjusts it, making sure that it is secured properly. Besides the Titans East, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Green Arrow, and Black Canary, there isn't a soul on Earth who knows  _"Speedy's"_  eye color. Once he and Leila leave this room, he would like it to stay that way too.

The moment the mask is secured he eyes himself in the mirror, satisfied with what he sees. Giving a small smile at his reflection, he is fully prepared to retreat from the bathroom and ask Leila if there is anything he can do to help. While she's making phone calls, maybe he could grab stuff out of her drawers that she might need to pack or something? Anything to make this go faster! Before he exits the room, however, he spots two objects that are sitting out on the bathroom vanity in plain sight. He didn't notice them before, most likely due to his concentration on his mask, but he notices them now.

Surprised by what he sees, his concealed emerald eyes widen as he reaches to pick one of them up. The first object is a small box with an open top, revealing a plastic bottle as well as various supplies. Turning the box so that the front is facing him rather than the side with the instructions, Speedy gapes in shock. On the front is a tanned woman with hair the same color as Leila's, the words  _"Golden Brown"_  written in bold directly beneath the woman's face.

"No," Speedy whispers to himself in awe. "There's no way…"

Shock taking over his features, he uses his other hand to pick up the second object; another small box. This box is flatter and longer than the hair dye box, and has a picture of a contact lens on the front. In the center of the box beside the contact are letters printed in fancy cursive, reading  _"Clearview Color Contact Lenses"_. This alone causes his mouth to hang agape, but the sight of a tiny circle in the box's bottom right corner the color of bright green causes it to drop open even farther.

Blinking harshly to make sure he's seeing everything correctly, the archer speaks aloud in shock once more. "What the— No… There is absolutely no way…"

Before Speedy has a chance to compose himself, soft footsteps are heard coming in the direction of the open bathroom door. Along with the footsteps comes Leila's voice.

"Hey, Speedy? I'm ready to go if you are. My calls have all been made, and my stuff is packed. I would bring my guitar, but I'm not going to need it anymore, so I decided to leave it behind. It'll give us less to haul back to—"

A few seconds later her footsteps stop in front of the bathroom door, as does the sound of her voice. A long moment passes where Speedy doesn't look at her, but when he finally does, her entire body freezes. Along with this, her features fill with shock and horror, and her already pale face turns at least two shades paler. Her false-colored eyes connecting with his masked gaze, the two stare at each other in a deadlock. Shock still hasn't left Speedy, as he is completely clueless at what to say to the girl.

When one of them does speak, it is Leila, and she does so fearfully. "Speedy…I know what you must be thinking…but  _ **don't**_  jump to conclusions. If you give me a chance, I can explain!"

For some reason Speedy thought that he would be angry, but surprisingly, he's not. Instead he gives a deep sigh filled with tension before approaching Leila and shoving the items into her arms. Once she has them in her grasp, he walks toward the exit and replies without facing her.

"Don't explain now. Explain once we get back to the Tower.  _To all of us._ "

Leila doesn't respond. Instead she shoves the brown hair dye and the green contact lenses into her black bag before following him out the door. The whole time Speedy notices that her demeanor seems nervous, and it very well should be. Now that he thinks about it, there is a lot about Leila that he doesn't know, and every time he's around her he ends up with more questions than answers. Now that he has learned that there's one more secret that she's keeping, (this secret being what she  _actually_  looks like), his curiosity has been peaked more than ever. It's too bad for Leila, because he isn't giving up until he solves the mystery behind the girl.


	17. Part II: Shadows: Chapter Seventeen

_Note:  Whenever I bring up a specific brand of car, feel free to look it up on Google Images if you're curious. As a confession, I know nothing at all about cars, so Google Images is actually where I turn to figure out what specific brands of cars look like. So feel no shame if you have no idea at all what the Titans' cars look like. Before Google searching, I had no idea how to make them look. XD_

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans (or any other shows that I might make subtle references to)._

* * *

**Part II: Shadows: Chapter Seventeen**

"Wow… This is… ** _my_** room?!"

Damiana has never been more amazed in her life. The room that she's standing in, a room that is currently empty besides a bedframe and a dresser, is three times larger than her motel room. Even the bedroom that she had back on Dabnod is dwarfed compared to this, as two of those bedrooms would be able to fit cozily into this one. Never has Damiana had this much space in her life! And that door to her right that's four feet away from the window…is that…a walk-in closet?!

As she gapes at the large expanse, Bumblebee gives a friendly chuckle from behind her. "Yep. This room is completely yours. I know it's probably a little overwhelming, but don't worry. You'll get used to it." Pausing slightly, she adds, "Being a Titan, I mean. Living in the Tower, having roommates, fighting crime, soon enough it'll all feel natural."

Shoving a brown strand behind one of her ears, Damiana removes her black bag from her shoulder and sets in atop the dresser. Once this is done, she turns to face those standing behind her. In the room with her isn't just Bumblebee, but also Speedy and Aqualad. Keeping the strand of hair firmly tucked behind her ear, she smiles as she replies to Bee's statement.

"I believe you. After all, I am pretty adaptable. I'm sure that I'll get used to being a Titan soon enough."

Smiling brightly, Bumblebee gives a firm nod. A moment later, however, her smile fades slightly and the Titan leader walks over to where the girl sat her bag on her dresser. Reaching in, she pulls out the golden brown hair dye and green colored contact lenses with a brow raised questioningly. Giving a glance to the others, she sees as the rest of the room's occupants eye her in the same manner.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee speaks out again. "But is there any reason why you dye your hair brown and wear green contacts? I have to admit, when you told us, I was a little surprised."

"If your hair isn't brown and if your eyes aren't green, then what do you really look like?" asks Aqualad in astonishment. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

Crossing her arms, she shoots Aqualad a stern look. "First of all, you haven't seen my real features, so don't say that they can't be  _'that bad'_. If I wanted you to know what I look like, then I wouldn't dye my hair and wear contact lenses." Turning to face Bee, she continues in a more relaxed fashion. "As for why I hide everything…to put simply…I'll stick out like a sore thumb if I don't. I've had my fire powers since birth, and as a side effect, my hair and eyes are very… _strange_ …colors. They don't look anything at all like the rest of your features. To be honest, it's kind of embarrassing sticking out so much. Without the hair dye and contact lenses, I feel like a one-women freak show. So, after a while, I decided to hide everything; which in my situation, _isn't_  a bad thing."

This time it is Speedy's turn to voice his thoughts, which just so happen to sound very confused. "Okay, I know that you don't want any prying, but can you at least give us a hint about what you look like? Do you have a sharingan eye, an orange and purple eye, and putrid green hair or something?"

Rolling her eyes, Damiana can't help but give him a sardonic look. "No. Trust me, it's nothing like that. Or…at least not most of the time... Let's just say that my hair and eyes are very…noticeable….and very… _vivid_." After a short pause, she adds firmly, "Now quit prying, because that's  _ **all**_  I'm telling you."

Leaning against the wall with the sole of one of his yellow boots touching, his back touching, and his arms crossed, Damiana sees as Speedy nods in response. Along with this, he smiles faintly.

"Alright. Don't get your big girl panties in a bundle. I'll keep my mouth shut about the hair and the eyes." After a brief moment of silence, he adds, "Besides. It doesn't matter that much, anyway. I eventually took my mask off in front of the team, Bee finally came out of her room first thing in the morning before prettying herself up, and at some point Aqualad told us that his name is 'Garth'. It took a while, but eventually we all ended up sharing. I'm sure that at some point you'll share too."

In truth, Damiana greatly disagrees with Speedy's synopsis of the situation. Yet, she doesn't argue. Instead she turns away from the group of them and faces the emptiness of her new bedroom in attempt to get her mind away from such thoughts. Inside of her head she examines the walls thoroughly, imagining what she could transform the plain white into if only she could get her hands on some paint. Not only that, but with all of the space, she could fit so many bookshelves in here that it would be unimaginable!

If it wouldn't make the other Titans suspicious, it would be her greatest dream to fill rows of shelves with books written in different languages from all over the world. It has been a long while since she has added new languages to her arsenal. Perhaps Damiana could consider taking up the practice again. Now that it's necessary, she should start practicing with her fire again, too. Shortly before Dabnod was destroyed, the clan elders did mention wanting to give her further training. They wanted to go beyond Master's level techniques and start teaching her Phoenix techniques.

They're techniques brimming with so much hidden knowledge and unique skill that only a handful of people ever knew that they were in existence. The reason so few people knew about them is mostly because they're techniques unique only to the Fire Phoenix clan. There were several clans on Dabnod that had secret techniques unknown to the rest of the planet, and the Fire Phoenix clan was definitely one of them. It was always rumored that the Fire Phoenix clan had enough skills in their fiery arsenal to take out the Dabnodian monarchy and seize control of Dabnod. It never would have happened, though. Damiana's clan was far too loyal to the monarchy.

Meanwhile, as she continues with these thoughts, she speaks to herself internally.

_"I should really unlock the Phoenix Index again. When I opened the secret compartment and found my armband, I'm sure that I saw scrolls in there too. Those have to be the scrolls the elders used to talk about. The scrolls that contain our secret techniques…"_

As the girl muses to herself, it is heard as the archer awkwardly clears his throat and moves toward the exit. She still doesn't look at him, but she can tell by Speedy's footsteps that he's leaving.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and assume that our conversation is over, so I will be going." Glancing over at him, Damiana sees that he's hovering half in and half out of the doorway as he makes his final parting statement. "In case you're curious, my room is next to yours on the left side. Don't ever go in uninvited, and if you need me, please knock. Of course, as a fair warning, if I feel like being alone or if I'm doing something important, I might not answer."

Turning so that she's facing him fully, Damiana nods. "Okay, thanks for letting me know. And don't worry about me knocking. I don't plan on randomly barging into your room anytime soon." Giving a smirk, she adds, "Unless I want revenge for being forced to ride on the back of your motorcycle."

It is here that he returns her smirk. "Sure thing, Leila, but just know that your revenge is at your own risk. Barge into my room, and you might catch me getting dressed or laying across my bed in my underwear listening to  _Skillet_. Believe me. Once you see that, you can't un-see it."

Bumblebee releases a groan of agony at those words. "Yeah, well I wish I could! You've got some weird habits! What kind of crazy person strips down to their underwear to listen to music?!"

Pointing a finger at the winged girl, Speedy works to defend himself. The whole time Damiana starts to feel the least bit disturbed.

"Hey, at least I'm in the privacy of my own room, and at least I wear  _something_! Unlike Aqualad, who likes going skinny-dipping in his pool at two in the morning!"

His face turning crimson with embarrassment, the aquatic Titan shouts loudly. "For the last time, I was ** _not_**  skinny dipping! I was in the shower, and while I was in there, Mas and Menos hid all of my clothes! Swimming around in my pool naked wasn't a choice! Unless someone is taking a shower, they should never be naked!"

Speedy scoffs at his explanation. "Right. I forgot. You're a prude like an old lady."

Aqualad's eyes widen to the size of saucers. "What did you call me? I am  ** _not_**  a prude!"

The redhead only chuckles. "Says the guy who puts on four layers of clothes before his dates!"

"Of course I do that! You've seen what my fangirls are like! I do it for my sanity!"

Damiana can't help but gape at the duo as they argue back and forth. They're so immersed in their argument, that Speedy didn't actually leave the room like he said he was going to. Now he and Aqualad are standing in the room's center, both of them arguing their cases and neither of them winning. She can't help but find the sight one that is shocking and unbelievable. They can't possibly be like this all the time, can they?!

As if reading her thoughts, Bumblebee carefully tiptoes around the two of them. Once she reaches Damiana, the dark-skinned girl giggles and motions for her to follow her out of the room. Shrugging, Damiana gives the Titan boys one last glance before following after her. A moment later once they're in the hallway, Bumblebee speaks.

"When they get like that, it's best just to let them argue. It always runs its course eventually." Giving Damiana a kind smile, she continues. "I saw you eyeing up your room a couple minutes ago. It looked like you were making plans for it."

Returning her smile, Damiana nods. "I guess I do have a few ideas."

At this Bumblebee walks further down the hallway before motioning for her new teammate to follow her once more. "In that case, let's go to the furniture store and get some stuff picked out. Maybe we can get you some carpeting and paint, too." After a moment of silence, she adds, "Now that I'm thinking about it, there's also another stop that we should make. One that's actually more important than the furniture store."

* * *

"Uh…Bumblebee? Where are we?"

Damiana sits snugly in the passenger seat of the Titans East leader's yellow Honda Civic. It's every bit as nice as Speedy's Chevrolet, but it fits Bumblebee's personality much better, as do the fuzzy dice hanging over the rearview mirror. Really, Damiana likes Bumblebee's car quite a lot. Though if it was Damiana's car, and if she had any idea  _at all_  how to drive, she would have a red Toyota Yaris. Even so, Bee's car is very nice.

Meanwhile, the place that Bumblebee has taken her doesn't look at all how she expected. They're sitting in a nearly empty parking lot that only has two other cars. In front of them is a building that is equally deserted. It is made out of brick, the door leading inside is made out of thick metal that is bolted shut, and there is a single window without signs or business hours of any sort. Honestly, it looks like the building hasn't been touched in ages. Rarely has Damiana felt so uncertain about a building.

In the meantime, spotting her companion's uncertainty, Bumblebee does her best to put the girl's worries at ease. "Remember what I said back at the Tower? There was another stop I wanted to make before we get your shopping done, and it's an important one. You  _do_  need a costume, after all."

Brow furrowing quizzically, Damiana rips her gaze away from the building and gives Bumblebee an odd look. "This is where I'm designing my costume at? Do you really mean that?"

The dark-skinned girl gives her a comforting pat on the shoulder before opening the driver's side door. While doing so, she answers the pale-faced girl's inquiry.

"Yes, but don't worry. It looks better on the inside." Pausing slightly, she asks, "Before we go inside though, I should ask you this. Do you have your Titan name picked out?"

Opening the passenger side door, Damiana nods. "Yeah, I do." After a moment of silence, she continues. "I decided that I'd like to go by _'Firelight'_."

A cheerful smile lights up Bumblebee's face. "Firelight! You picked a good name. It fits you. Now when we approach the door, make sure you introduce yourself as  _'Firelight'_ , not  _'Leila'_. Leila is your secret identity now, so any time you go somewhere as a Titan, you have to remember 'Firelight'."

Damiana gives an immediate nod of understanding. "Don't worry. I'm perfectly willing to go by my hero name from now on. In fact, I kind of like the idea."

"Good," replies Bumblebee happily. "I'm glad to hear it."

With that being said, the two girls get out of the car and make their way onto the sidewalk leading to the sturdy metallic door. As they saunter down the sidewalk, Damiana takes a closer look at her surroundings. Upon doing so, she immediately notices that even if there are no signs of inhabitation in the building's single window, that it is completely free of dust and grime. Not only that, but the sidewalk and parking lot are in good repair, the bricks making up the building appear to be relatively new, and there isn't a single piece of litter anywhere. So, even if the structure appears creepy and deserted at a first glance, it isn't deserted at all upon further observation.

Once they make it to the flawless metal door, a door that's so thick that it looks like the door to a prison cell, Bumblebee doesn't hesitate to knock. She taps loudly and evenly three times. A few second pass and nobody answers, Bumblebee repeating the action. It is only then that they get a response. Of course, it isn't the response that Damiana was expecting. Rather than somebody opening the door to them, a small metal plate that is built into the door at eye-level is shoved aside, revealing a pair of stormy gray eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses. When the person speaks, the stormy gray eyes are revealed to belong to a woman with a thick foreign accent.

"Well, Titan Bumblebee! It's been a while since you've come here in person. This is really a pleasant surprise!" Stormy eyes shifting to Damiana, she speaks sounding a bit less pleased. "Who is the skinny girl with the tattered jeans and the jewelry? Did she follow you here?"

Much to Damiana's surprise, Bumblebee isn't the one who answers the accented woman. Instead the Titan leader gets behind Damiana and gently shoves her closer. She stumbles slightly, having not expected the move on Bumblebee's part. When the woman's eyes narrow at her through the slot in the door, Damiana immediately feels both confused and nervous. Nonetheless, she does her best to put the unknown woman at ease, as she is certain that getting into the building is essential. If it wasn't, then Bee wouldn't have said that it was.

Gulping, the girl answers her hesitantly. "Uh… No. Not exactly… I didn't follow her here. You see, my name is Firelight. I just joined the Titans East a short while ago, and I need a costume? The clothes I have now aren't exactly working out."

Shoving up her glasses with a long, slender, index finger, she narrows her eyes again. This time, much to Damiana's relief, they're narrowed in a curious fashion rather than in contempt.

"A new Titan, you say? I didn't know that the Titans East were getting a new member."

This time it is Bumblebee who responds. "Sorry to catch you off guard, Marcy. A lot has been going on with the Titans recently, and with everything that's been happening, Firelight joining the team was kind of a last minute thing."

The woman behind the door scoffs. "The Titans East themselves were a last minute thing, as were the Titans West, so this doesn't surprise me."

All of the sudden the metal slot in the door closes up, catching Damiana off guard. A few seconds later metallic clanging is heard along with the clicking of locks, the thick metal door swinging open a moment afterward. Standing in the doorway looking down at them both is the woman with gray eyes and wire-rimmed glasses, who is revealed to be very tall, slender, and has thin black hair styled into a tasteful bobbed haircut. She currently wears a knee-length black dress with elbow-length sleeves and a high collar. Her wedges are the same shade of black as her dress, though they're much shinier, and appear extremely high; most likely why Damiana sees her as so tall. When it comes to her age she is uncertain, but Damiana would place her in her middle to late forties.

Stepping back from the doorway, the woman motions for them to enter. Her expression fairly pleasant, Bumblebee walks past Damiana and goes inside of the building without reluctance. The alien girl is a bit hesitant, having no idea where they're at or who this woman is, but a few seconds is all it takes for her to enter inside at last. Once inside of the building, after the door shuts on its own behind her, Damiana finds herself feeling confused. Besides a desk, a leather chair, and a magazine rack, the room they've entered is completely empty! There aren't any doors leading out of this room either, so it is automatically assumed that this is the only one.

Arching a brow, she shoots Bumblebee a questioning look. Spotting her facial expression, Bumblebee giggles in friendly amusement before giving her an explanation.

"It's okay. There's more here than you think."

Giving her a reassuring look, the woman adds in her thick accent, "If you need a costume, Firelight, just trust Marcy Fabron. Believe me when I say that I can do anything."

Raising her brow curiously, Damiana watches as the woman, Marcy, makes her way over to the desk in the corner with her wedges clicking against the tile. As she does this she pulls a key out of a pocket that is hidden in her black dress, taking a seat in the leather chair behind the desk and shoving the key into one of the locked drawers. For a moment Damiana thinks that she's going to pull out files, a briefcase, or something of that sort. It is because of this that when the smallest drawer opens up to reveal an incredibly intricate keypad containing both letters and numbers, the alien girl can't help but be astonished. When Marcy types what appears to be a very long password into the keypad, Damiana is further astonished when one of the metallic walls opens up to reveal a clear glass elevator.

As she gapes, Marcy shuts and locks the keypad back into the desk before walking over and giving Damiana a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"You haven't seen anything yet, girl. Be amazed."

With that being said all three of them walk into the elevator, Damiana growing more stunned and more curious all the time. There aren't many buttons in the elevator. There is nothing but a single button, and the only direction it goes in is down. There isn't the slightest bit of hesitation from Marcy before she presses the button, causing them to plummet downward in a whir. With nothing but darkness shining in through the glass, Damiana is a bit disoriented, but overall she fares well.

Meanwhile, Marcy speaks once more. "What are your superpowers? Before doing anything, I must know. Otherwise I won't be able to find you the right fabric."

"My powers?" says Damiana. "To put it simply, fire is my superpower. I can self-manifest it, my body absorbs outside fire, and my body is flame-resistant."

Marcy purses her lips in a considering fashion as she muses aloud. "In that case, I will need the heaviest flame resistant material available. I have material that can withstand heat up to thirty-thousand degrees Celsius. Is that good enough?"

Eyes widening, Damiana gives a stunned nod. "Um…yeah. Thirty-thousand degrees is good."

Pushing up her wire-rimmed glasses using her middle finger, she gives a smile. "Excellent. I have that material in every color from pink to black. With the amount of fabric at my disposal and my skill, I should be able to put together something to please you in no time." Nervousness filling her gaze, she asks, "Just out of curiosity, you can't fly, can you? If you can, it might be harder for me to find material that is both flame resistant and durable enough for flight."

"No worries," Damiana assures. "I have multiple talents, but one thing I  _can't_  do is fly."

Smile returning full-force, she nods. "Good. This makes my day. It has been a long time since I have gotten to help design a costume for one of the Titans. This will be a true delight!"

A second later the elevator stops at last, and the doors open up. It is still pitch black, but all it takes is Marcy giving two loud claps for the area to become flooded with light. When it does, just as Marcy had stated earlier, Damiana is definitely amazed. In her sixteen years of living, Damiana has never seen another room like this one; not on Earth or on Dabnod. To her, it is simply incredible.

The room is large and very well-lit, revealing a space filled with floor-length mirrors. In the center of the mirrors is a very lavish walkway, most likely used for admiring whatever final product that Marcy comes up with. There is another portion of the room, too, that isn't covered in mirrors. Lying out on chairs, on tables, and lining various shelves are fabrics of all colors, patterns, and materials. Along with this there are scissors, measuring tapes, sewing machines, thread and needs, various types of shoes, and anything else imaginable. Damiana can't even remember the closets of Queen Guayusa and her courtiers having access to fabrics of so many colors! When Bumblebee said that she would get to design her Firelight costume, she had no idea that she would get to do it so… _extravagantly_!

All of the sudden Marcy gives a pleased chortle, freeing Damiana from her momentary trance. Turning to face her, she sees that she is already holding a measuring tape in her hands as well as a pen and a pad of paper. As Marcy speaks, she walks toward her.

"Yes, I knew you would be amazed. I saw that same look of wonderment in Bumblebee's eyes when she first saw my crafting room. With the tools I have at my disposal, I can design absolutely  _anything_. I especially love putting together costumes for superheroes. It gives my life meaning." Motioning to her with the hand holding the measuring tape, she commands, "Now go stand on the pedestal so I can get a good look at you. I won't be able to design you a proper costume otherwise."

Giving a nod of comprehension, Damiana follows her instructions and moves over to the walkway. Once she's standing on it, Marcy doesn't hold back with the measuring tape. She measures every inch of her while scribbling things down on her notepad. The whole time the woman mumbles things aloud, the alien girl not knowing whether to feel complimented or insulted.

"Good heavens are you skinny!  _Very_   _skinny_ … Nonetheless, you still have quite a decent figure. That baggy tank top and raggedy jeans simply do an excellent job of hiding it. We are going to change that very soon…" The next time she speaks, she says, "Your face is absolutely stunning! Very rarely have I run into a young woman with as beautiful of a face as yours! Your hair is far too curly, though… Then again, you have a stunning face and an adequate figure, so I suppose the hair doesn't matter too much. Not to mention, that you have a gorgeous bracelet. Your taste in jewelry is magnificent. That bracelet with the bird is definitely being incorporated into your costume…"

From here Marcy doesn't speak for several minutes. She is busily scribbling things down, dashing all over the room in her stylish black wedges and picking up various rolls of fabric. At some point she nonchalantly places her notepad on a table and begins comparing fabrics that are various shades of orange and black, as if trying to decide which is better. Secretly, Damiana doesn't think that any of them are better. Honestly, the shades of orange look practically identical to her, as do the shades of black. The whole time Bumblebee leans against one of the mirrors, watching on in a curious yet pleased fashion.

It takes a long while, but eventually Marcy speaks again. While doing this, she rushes toward Damiana holding scissors, thread, and an armload of orange and black fabrics. Though, she's certain that she sees some splotches of yellow fabric too.

"Okay, Firelight, we are getting straight to work. You are free to tell me what you like, and what you do not like, but I do have two ground rules. The first is that your bracelet with the bird on it is fabulous, so it stays! No complaints, no questions! And the second is that we are getting you in some shorts. No pants for you! Underneath those hideous jeans, I would stake my life on it that you are hiding some gorgeous legs. It is high time that you show them off!"

It is here that Damiana's face pales. Running a hand through her false brown tresses, she eyes the woman nervously as she responds.

"No pants? But…why?! Shorts are just so…revealing…and… _tight_!"

Smirking, Marcy piles the fabric down on the walkway beside her. "Exactly my point, dear girl. We have to accentuate your strongest assets. It's what makes heroes the best they can be." Nodding over to Bumblebee, she adds, "As a fair example, Bumblebee's waist is greatest asset, so I accentuated it. Just look at her costume! She looks fabulous! And you will, too."

Running a hand through her hair, Damiana sighs before responding. "Well… I guess I can try on a pair of shorts… There's no guarantee that I'm going to like it, though."

The woman's smirk never fades. "Oh, don't worry. I can guarantee that you will like what you see. Every customer does. Trust me. This is what I do best."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

As far as Speedy knows, Bumblebee and Leila are still gone, Aqualad and Cyborg are at work examining Black Shadow's machine, and Beast Boy left the Tower to go buy vegetarian cuisine. Speedy can't help but feel relieved because of this. It will make it so much easier to slip out of the Tower without having to confront anyone. Dressed from head to toe in civilian clothing and wearing a pair of sunglasses, Speedy steps out of his bedroom and into the hallway. His car keys in hand, he sneaks down the hallway, through the common room, and to the door leading to the garage.

Any other time he leaves the Tower, his teammates don't think a thing of it. They figure that he's going to visit his dock, out for tacos, on a date, to torment the local store workers, or anything else that the redhead might like to do in his spare time. However, because of the fact that Speedy leaves so specifically at twelve-thirty pm every Sunday, and because he tries to be so stealthy about leaving the Tower, the other Titans have grown more than a little bit suspicious of his whereabouts. The same thing applies to Wednesdays at four-thirty pm, when he also does his best to slip out of the Tower unseen.

Bee, Aqualad, and Mas y Menos have all tried questioning him about it many times. This is partially because during those times when Speedy is gone and there's a crime alert, they're always forced to get by without him. Along with that, Speedy is so secretive about where he's going that a person would almost think that he's out committing crimes himself, or that he's involved in a secret love affair. During the first year of being with the Titans, sneaking out twice a week wasn't so hard. For the past six months, however, it has been getting steadily more difficult. At some point, it is Speedy's worst fear that the other Titans are going to find out where he's going. When that day comes, there isn't a doubt in the archer's mind that they're never going to see him the same. He's going to be… _labeled_.

Sighing, Speedy makes his way down the stairs to the garage and weaves around their motorcycles, the T-car, and Aqualad's black convertible. Once he makes it to his white Chevrolet, he opens the driver's side door, pulls himself inside, and turns the key in the ignition. Removing his sunglasses and tucking them so that they're attached to the truck's sun visor, he speaks aloud before pulling out.

"Just go and enjoy the meeting, Roy. The other Titans haven't found out yet, and if you play your cards right, they're not going to."

* * *

In the back of Steel City Gospel Church, in a windowless room with soft white carpeting and soothing blue walls, is a group of ten individuals of various ages and genders. The day being Sunday, church was on earlier, but the people who were previously present for the service have all filtered out. Now, besides a few faculty members who run the church office, there isn't anybody in the building besides these ten people in this cozy blue room.

The small group sits arranged in a circle, not in the uncomfortable metal fold-up chairs that would normally be expected, but instead they sit in beanbag chairs. Painted on the wall behind them in black cursive letters are words that have become very familiar to the vast majority of people within the group:  _"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"_.

Speedy remembers the first time he came here very well. Never having been inside of a church building before, he can remember feeling like a fish out of water. The beanbag chairs, the prayer painted on the wall, hugs from random strangers, it was all so… _foreign_. After the first time he was here, he didn't even want to come back he felt so out of place. Of course, after trying ten other groups in Steel City similar to this one, Speedy decided that he liked this one the best. Out of all the groups, this one was by far the warmest and the most welcoming. Even after only meeting him once, the individuals in the group welcomed him back with open arms. It was only then, after his second time showing up at this group, that he finally decided to become a regular.

During his time with this group, while he generally sees the same eight people every time he comes here, there are usually one or two new faces at least once a week. The majority of the time the new faces don't tend to come back, and either seek out new groups, or drop attending these meetings completely. In a way, Speedy finds it disappointing. The beanbag chairs and brightness of the room always come off as odd at first, but if people would give it a chance, he knows that it would grow on them. It grew on him, after all.

Sitting directly across from him, Speedy notes, is this afternoon's single new face. For once, he can't help but feel surprised. The person sitting across from him is a boy wearing a black sweatshirt and baggy black pants. His arms are crossed and he wears a pouty expression, as if this is the last place on Earth he wants to be. His chin is pointed, as is his nose, and his hair is shaggy. So shaggy is the boy's hair that it covers one of his caramel brown eyes. What shocks Speedy isn't the child himself, but the fact that he's…well… _a child_! By the looks of this kid, he can't be any older than twelve! A year-and-a-half ago when he started at this group, he'd freshly turned sixteen, and they said that he was the youngest person they'd had! Sixteen is nothing compared to how young this kid is!

Meanwhile, the person sitting beside the kid is the one who speaks. He is a man is his early sixties with a friendly personality and a thick gray beard, known to Speedy as Bill. When Bill speaks, he does so in his usual warm and caring fashion.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Bill, and I'm a cocaine addict."

The others in the group, including Speedy, respond in unison. "Hi, Bill."

The next one to speak is the kid, who is notably a lot less open than Bill. "My name's Dustin. That's all I'm telling you people."

Again, the group responds in unison. "Hi, Dustin."

Once this is finished, Bill addresses the boy in what Speedy identifies as his usual grandfatherly fashion. "It's okay, Dustin. You don't have to tell us anything that you don't want to. If you just want to sit in and listen tonight, feel free."

Dustin doesn't say anything. Instead he gives a huff before they move onto the next person. The next person being a woman named Stacie, who is a crystal meth addict. The whole time people introduce themselves the majority of the group appears genuinely invested, while Dustin simply appears annoyed. Speedy doesn't judge the kid, though. He can tell just by looking at him how new he must be to this. Since he's here as a preteen, there's no doubt that he's here by the force of his parents, or as a court mandate. That would definitely make a kid feel targeted…

At last, when his turn finally comes, Speedy doesn't hesitate in introducing himself. Having done this at least a thousand times, he pretty much has his lines memorized.

"Hi, everyone. My name's Roy, and I'm addicted to heroin."

Just as he expected, he is responded to with the collective chant of "Hi, Roy".

From here he expects things to move to the person beside him; a woman named Joy with an addiction to Vicodin pills. Before Joy has a chance to speak, however, Dustin looks up at him with surprise. The surprise is only there for an instant, though, because it is quickly replaced with skepticism.

"Pft. If you're  _still_  addicted to heroin, then it doesn't look like this group has helped you any. I bet the last time you shot up was this morning."

Emerald irises filling with his own brand of surprise, Speedy can't help but gape at him while responding. "Actually, the last time I shot up was more than three years ago. All I have left now is three months until I've made it for four years' heroin free."

Surprised returns to Dustin's caramel gaze full-force at Speedy's words. "You haven't had any heroin in almost four years?! How old  _ **are**  _you?! You don't even look like you're eighteen yet!"

"That's because I'm not," replies Speedy simply. "I have five months left until I turn eighteen."

Eyes widening farther, he asks, "So…does that mean you were…super young when you started going through treatment?"

Giving a nod, Speedy replies to the kid. "Yep. I was twelve when I got addicted, and going on fourteen when I finally recovered. I relapsed twice, and it was painful, but I made it through."

It's quiet for along moment until, at last, Dustin speaks again. This time he does so in a small, hesitant, voice that is the equivalent of a mouse, sand-colored hair hiding his face.

" _ **I'm**  _twelve. And  _ **I'm**_  addicted to heroin."

Speedy feels as his eyes widen, surprised at the boy's sudden confession. All it takes is a moment for the rest of the group to start applauding softly, and for those sitting closest to Dustin to start giving him friendly pats on the shoulder as well as the occasional hug.

"Good job, Dustin!"

"Thank you so much for sharing with us!"

"I hope that your treatment is going well!"

Dustin doesn't give those gathered around him much of a response. The whole time his eyes narrow and he gives an irritated frown. Honestly, he can't really blame the kid. He remembers his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting with everybody hugging him. His bubble felt so violated…

Meanwhile, words of encouragement are shot his way as well. They come from everybody in the group besides Dustin, though mostly they come from Bill and Joy.

"That was some excellent sharing, Roy! Thank you so much for making Dustin feel welcome!"

"You've almost been clean for four years now? We're so proud of you!"

"Three months from now, I'm bringing in cupcakes! You've earned them!"

Speedy smiles, nods, and replies to each of their comments genuinely. When one of them hugs him, exactly like he never would have expected several years ago, he hugs them back. The one who hugs him is Joy. She is a woman in her early forties, and apparently used to have a son the same age as him.

Once the majority of encouraging comments have subsided, Joy speaks to Speedy.

"I really am bringing in cupcakes at your four-year mark, Roy, and don't you dare try stopping me! You're a real success story, kid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

He can't help but smile at the woman's kind words. "Thanks, Joy. I appreciate hearing that. It really helps; on the good days just as much as the bad days."

From the other side of the circle, Bill responds to him. "Nah, Roy, you don't have to tell that to us. Even if it's a good day, a kind word always helps. I haven't had any cocaine in almost thirty years, and sometimes I still need encouragement. Recovery isn't just being free from the drug. It's a lifelong process no matter how long you've been clean for."

Opening his mouth partway, Speedy is preparing to reply to Bill. Before he can, however, Dustin chimes in. The boy sounds confused as much as shocked.

"Hold on. Let me get this straight. Some of you have been clean for years,  _ **decades**_  even, and you're  _still_  coming to NA meetings? Why?! If you're not using anymore, what's the fricken point?!"

"Support from other addicts," replies a man in his early thirties. "That's the point."

"Only someone who has been addicted to drugs, stolen, lied, and cheated, is going to be able to understand another person who has done all of those same things. It's kind of like how only someone who has been homeless before is going to be able to understand someone else who has been out on the streets," explains Bill. Pausing slightly, he asks, "Is this making any sense, Dustin?"

Furrowing his brow thoughtfully, the kid nods. "Yeah, I guess. To be honest, it's even like that at the treatment center. The first couple days I hated it, but now that I've gotten used to it, it's not so bad. The people there…they  _get it_. They treat me like a guy and not…"

Before Speedy has a chance to process what he's about to say, he fills in the blank that Dustin was looking for. "They treat you like a guy, and not a  _'druggie'_? Yeah, I know what you mean. People who have never been addicted don't get it at all. Once they figure out where you've been and what you've done, they give you a label and de-humanize you. It really doesn't make life any easier."

Eyes widening in comprehension, Dustin looks directly at him. "That's exactly what I was going to say. How'd you know?"

He replies simply. "Because I've been there."

A moment of silence passes, but at last, it is broken by a sigh from Joy.

"Not everyone labels you, though. I'll admit that I've some pretty bad encounters with family members, but I also have people who really support me. I'll be honest. Nobody supports me more than my husband and my daughter."

Another moment of silence passes, this one briefer than the previous. This time it is broken by Bill, who does so with a question.

"You know, Roy, before we figured out about the four-year mark you have coming up, we were actually thinking about planning a meeting that month where everybody brings in their friends and family. We were going to have cake, tell them a little bit about NA, and celebrate everybody's progress." After a slight pause, he continues. "I'm not telling you and I'm not forcing you, but have you ever considered bringing the roommates that you told us about?"

"You told us just last week that you trust them with your life," adds Joy. "You don't think you can trust them enough to tell them that you used to be a heroin addict?"

Giving a deep sigh, Speedy replies at last. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do and I know where you're coming from, but I can't. There is absolutely no way I can tell them. They'd never accept it."

* * *

Later That Day

It took two full hours of sketching things out with paper and colored pencil, followed by measuring, cutting, and stitching, but Marcy and Damiana managed to complete her first Firelight costume. Admittedly, the costume they created is only a prototype, and Marcy wanted to make some adjustments to it so that it is, in her words,  _"the absolute best it can be"_. Of course, even with the alterations the woman wants to make to the costume's original copy, she still claims that she is going to have a full set of seven uniforms delivered to the Tower by tomorrow morning. By the following morning, she says that ten more will be ready. Now that her costume's initial design is planned out, Marcy claims that putting together Firelight costumes in bulk will be a simple task.

Thinking back to earlier in the afternoon, Damiana huffs while grumbling internally.  _"Of course putting together Firelight costumes won't be hard for her. With how 'adequate' my figure is, it isn't like she's going to be wasting any extra fabric for my hip and chest area."_

Admittedly, the woman is a very skilled designer. Damiana never thought that she would hear herself say this, but she is absolutely in love with the uniform that was put together for her! This doesn't change the fact that she feels incredibly insulted, though. Telling her that she doesn't have any curves, blatantly stating that her hair is absolutely horrendous, and then forcing her to wear shorts even if the amount of skin showing makes her feel incredibly uncomfortable? Never has Damiana met a more disrespectful person! True, Damiana doesn't mind the shorts as much as she initially thought she would, but still… What makes that woman think that she can insult her like that?!

Taking a deep breath, Damiana tugs several buckets of paint into her room which is now completely empty. As soon as they got away from Marcy's design studio, she and Bee got straight to shopping. At first Damiana thought that shopping would take the longest amount of time, and that getting her costume designed would be quick and easy, but it turns out that this wasn't at all the case. In truth, it ends out that the Dabnodian girl already knew exactly how she wanted her room decorated. Picking out things such as a nightstand, desk, the bookshelves she wanted, and a mirror didn't take any time at all, neither did picking out other things such comforters, pillows, and a lamp. She chose civilian clothing as well, which also went quickly.

Getting carpeting and paint for her walls took even less time. All it took was ten seconds of staring at her bedroom walls for Damiana to know exactly how she wanted to paint them. True, painting them exactly the way she wants to will require an endless amount of colors. When picking out paint, instead of getting a can of each color she needs, she decided to get massive quantities of red, blue, and yellow, along with black and white. With these five colors, Damiana will be able to get every single color she needs and then some. All she needs is to mix them correctly.

Setting the buckets of paint down in the middle of her bedroom floor, along with other buckets that she'd previously hauled up, Damiana straightens her posture and stares intently at the perfectly white walls. Right now all of the other things she and Bumblebee purchased, furniture and new clothes alike, are being stored in a guest room on the level below this one; the room that she will be occupying until this room is completed. Having it be her, the paint, and her tattered jeans and tank top all alone in this perfect room makes Damiana feel undeniably happy. There's no doubt that it will take several days of intense effort, but she will make this room into her perfect paradise.

Before painting, however, Damiana has to have the designs for her walls drawn out first. It is because of this that she removes a perfectly sharpened pencil from amongst the paint cans, saunters over to the wall, climbs atop a ladder, and gets straight to work. Once she starts drawing on the walls, her brain doesn't have a chance to process what is being created. Instead the duo of hearts pumping Dabnodian blood through her veins take over, allowing her to unleash everything that she has been yearning for onto this perfect white canvas.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"It's okay, old man. I can help you get down this hallway. I wouldn't want you to fall and break your hip. Especially since you forgot your Life Alert."

Today's meeting having finally ended, the small group of individuals said their goodbyes and filtered out of the cozy blue room with the beanbag chairs. Even so, this doesn't mean that the individuals in the group are free of each other yet. Speedy generally parking in the same area Bill, they usually end up walking out of the church and to their cars together. Speedy gets along well with Bill, so he doesn't mind this. If anything, he prefers it. It gives him time to talk to the aging man and to make friendly jabs at him, just like he does to anyone he becomes friends with.

Right now, as an example, Speedy takes Bill by the arm in attempt to guide him down Steel City Gospel Church's front-most hallway, treating him as though his is a feeble old man. Considering how gray his hair is and how, from a distance, he could pass for older than sixty, this might make sense at a first glance. Of course, once they see how Bill glares at him and yanks out of his grasp in an irritated manner, it becomes bluntly obvious that this isn't at all the case. Upon hearing his verbal response, this is made even clearer.

"For the last time, Roy, I  _do not_  have a Life Alert, and I'm not getting one!"

Chuckling at his response, he asks, "But what if you've fallen and you can't get up?"

Turning around to face him, Bill gives the young redhead a sharp glare. Even so, it is undeniable that there is humor in his gaze too. If there wasn't, Speedy wouldn't tease him over his age in the first place. The last thing he wants is to honestly offend the guy.

Meanwhile, Bill speaks once more. "I'm sixty years old, Roy, not ninety! I exercise every day, and I still work full-time. I think I'll be alright without a Life Alert."

With that being said, the two men laugh light-heartedly as they approach the glass doors leading out of the church, and exit onto the sidewalk running alongside the parking lot. They banter lightly, Speedy complimenting him on how well he's walking for a man his age, and on how he didn't get lost on the way here this afternoon. Bill shoots him half-hearted glares in response, jabbing back at Speedy about how he's so proud that he's finally old enough to drive, and stating that if he ever decides to go to a bar maybe the bartender will give him a nice glass of milk.

Laughing jovially and saying their goodbyes, the two are about ready to step into the parking lot and go their separate ways. Before they do, however, they glance farther down the sidewalk to spot a head of shaggy sand-colored hair sitting on the curbside. For a moment they don't do anything. They just eye Dustin curiously. Then, exchanging glances, the two nonchalantly approach the kid. They still don't say anything for a couple of seconds, but once within five feet of him, they address him.

"Hey, Dustin. What are you doing sitting out here by yourself?" asks Bill.

"Are you waiting for your ride?" Speedy puts in as an afterthought.

Dustin jumps slightly, as if he hadn't even noticed that they were there. Once he sees them, however, his expression hardens and he turns back to his previous position facing the pavement.

"I'm waiting for my parole officer," he states with bile. "He's late.  _Again._ "

Exchanging glances once more, Bill and Speedy move several steps closer to the kid.

"Again? What do you mean by that?" asks the redhead in curiosity.

Dustin gives a disgusted snort. "He's always late. It doesn't matter if he's dropping me off at a doctor's appointment, at school, or at one of these stupid NA meetings. I always have to end up waiting here for an hour because he's out eating donuts or something."

A moment of silence passes, but at last, Bill speaks to him.

"In that case, do you want me to wait here with you? Sitting here alone for an hour without anyone to talk to sounds like it could get pretty boring."

Dustin gives another snort. "I don't need anyone waiting here with me. I'm not your grandson, old man, and I don't need a babysitter."

Bill doesn't appear offended at his words. Instead, he gives a sad sigh.

"Well, if that's what you want, then I guess I'll be going. I hope to see you back here on Wednesday, Dustin. It was nice having you."

Giving a bitter scoff, the kid replies with thick sarcasm. "Yeah. I bet it was."

Bill gives another sigh before stepping down from the sidewalk and onto the pavement. Turning around, he gives Speedy once last glance before departing.

"Bye, Roy. We'll see you Wednesday."

Looking over at him, Speedy gives a nod and a wave. "See you Wednesday, Bill."

With that being said, the man walks off. At this point Speedy would normally enter into the parking lot as well, get into his truck, and head back to the Tower where he will have to get another intense interrogation from the other Titans. For once, however, Speedy decides not to go find his car. Deciding that returning to the Tower can wait for a short while, he instead moves closer to Dustin and take a seat on the sidewalk approximately four feet away from him. When this happens, Dustin narrows his caramel-colored eyes at him in the form of a glare.

"I already said that I don't need a babysitter. Can't you people take a hint?"

Shrugging at the kid, Speedy responds easily. "Who says I'm babysitting? Maybe I'm just hanging out here with you because I don't feel like driving home yet. The traffic is heavy this time of day, you know? Driving all the way across town can be a real pain."

Eyes widening slightly, Dustin looks at him. "You live on the other side of town? But that's the 'good' side of town. How does someone from a place like that, end up at a place like this?"

Speedy gives a contemplative frown at his question. "You'd be surprised, kid. Sometimes it doesn't matter where you're from. No matter where you're from, an entire group people can still end up in the same place."

A moment of silence passes. Surprisingly, it is Dustin who breaks it this time instead of Speedy.

"You know, if that's the part of town you're from, I see why you don't tell your roommates that you used to be a druggie. In the end, all of them react the same way. They start treating you like you're a different person, or like you're not worth as much because you made one stupid mistake."

Closing his eyes, Speedy breaths in deeply before responding. "I know exactly how you feel, kid. Believe me. I've been there, done that." Pausing slightly, he adds, "That doesn't mean that my roommates are bad, though. To be honest, they're actually my best friends."

Dustin rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure they are."

Looking over at him with surprised emerald eyes, he says, "No, it's true. I'm scared to tell them about my past, but they're still my best friends." Pausing slightly, he asks, "I'm sure there's still a while until your parole officer gets here. Do you want me to tell you about them?"

Giving an aggravated sigh, the kid nods reluctantly. "Sure, why not? I'm stuck here until the fat joke finally gets done with his donuts so he can get me. While you're at it, why don't you tell me your whole life story?"

Even though Speedy is more than certain that the kid is being sarcastic, he starts telling him about his life anyway. Much to his amazement, it really does take a full hour for his parole office to come. During that time, also to his amazement, Dustin's scowls, snorts, and bitter remarks become much less frequent. At some point the kid even shares a few things about his own life, and much to Speedy's happiness, he even laughs once or twice. Not just does it make him happy, but it also relieves him. No matter what kind of pain or turmoil a person has been through, Speedy always thinks that the ability to laugh should be retained. Without being able to laugh or smile, what's the point of life?


End file.
